Bayberry String Quartet in Concert
Embracing chamber music’s power to unite, inspire, and delight
Macon Creek
Experience the artistry and passion of the Bayberry String Quartet in a performance that celebrates the timeless beauty of chamber music. Known for their expressive interpretations and dynamic ensemble playing, the quartet brings both classical masterpieces and hidden gems to life with elegance and vitality.
PROGRAM
Grażyna Bacewicz’s String Quartet No. 3 was written in 1947 during her second post‑war stay in Paris. During a time of artistic renewal as she emerged from the devastation of World War II in Poland, Bacewicz crafted a work shaped by neoclassical clarity, balanced forms, and a reflection of her dual life as a composer and violinist navigating recovery and reinvention.
The program concludes with Beethoven’s radiant String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3. Often nicknamed “Eroica” for its glorious, triumphant finale that echoes the spirit of his heroic Third Symphony, this magnificent quartet was the most celebrated of the three Razumovsky works at its premiere and remains one of the most frequently performed today. Its bright, symphonic sweep and irresistible momentum make it a perennial favorite.
Nurit Pacht and Steffani Kitayama, violins
Gabe Bolkosky, viola
Laura Usiskin, cello
Macon Creek, 8759 Clinton Macon Rd, Clinton, MI 49236
live@maconcreek.org
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The Bayberry String Quartet, known for its dynamic performances and fresh interpretations, embraces chamber music’s power to unite, inspire, and delight. Now in its eighth season, the BSQ continues to command the stage in prestigious concert halls across the country, including Carnegie Hall, Chautauqua Institution, and Lincoln Center. Its artistic reach extends beyond live performance, embracing innovative online collaborations such as its genre-blending rendition of Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein” as well as the Bayberry String Quartet Listening Guide, a unique resource designed to deepen understanding of the rich string quartet tradition.
Education is a cornerstone of BSQ’s mission to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. Initiatives include summer institutes, weekend workshops, school visits, and the Bayberry String Quartet Listening Guide. During the pandemic, the quartet created the virtual chamber music approach “PhoenixPhest Virtual” where they coached student and professional groups across North America in online workshops. Through their individual and collaborative work, the four musicians have impacted the lives of thousands of musicians.
In 2024, the Bayberry String Quartet released Only Mozarts in the Building, an album of the complete Mozart “Milanese” string quartets, K. 155 – 160. The following year, after performing “Infloribus” by Livia Teodorescu at Carnegie Hall, the quartet released a recording of the work on Cicerone Records. Upcoming albums include Voyage, an exploration of travels that influenced Prokofiev, Dvořák, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwillich, and “Alcyone” by Douglas Boyce, to be released on New Focus Records alongside a video interpretation of the work.