American Echoes
Artistic Archetypes and Eternal Optimism
Manistique Chamber Concert Series
Paul Lundin’s cherished string quartet returns with a program that honors the enduring legacy of this concert series and rich cultural heritage of our country.
Featuring Paul Lundin and Joe Deller on violins, Janine Bradbury on viola, and Katri Ervamaa on cello, the concert opens with Ernő Dohnányi’s Serenade for String Trio. This graceful and spirited work has echoed throughout the series since one of its earliest performances in 1968. William Grant Still’s Lyric Quartette offers a vivid and expressive portrait of African American life, with each movement inspired by a distinct cultural archetype.
The program concludes with Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, affectionately known as the “American Quartet,” composed during his time in the United States and infused with folk-inspired melodies and frontier optimism. Thoughtfully curated and richly expressive, this concert offers a heartfelt musical tribute in celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary.
Paul Lundin and Joe Deller, violins
Janine Bradbury, viola
Katri Ervamaa, cello
Manistique Chamber Concert Series
Church of the Redeemer, 314 Main St, Manistique, MI 49854
(906) 341-5753
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The True North String Quartet was founded in 2010 by Paul Lundin and cellist Dan Thomas. Paul was new to the Detroit/Ann Arbor music scene at the time and enlisted Mr. Thomas to recommend a violinist and violist to fill out the proposed group.
The group name was Lundin’s invention showing his strong affection for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The first concerts in 2010 had Paul Lundin and Karen Donato on violin, Joseph Deller on viola and Dan Thomas on cello. This was the same personnel until 2018 when Ms. Donato left the group due to family obligations. David Lamse filled her place for several years.
After Dan Thomas moved to Texas, several cellists assisted the group until Finnish born cellist Katri Ervamaa accepted the role in 2022. The current group consists of Lundin, Joseph Deller, violin, Janine Bradbury, viola and Katri Ervamaa, cello.
Joseph Deller is a stalwart in the group, playing either viola or violin on all but one of the programs.
Repertoire played by the group has included some of the greatest and most popular string quartets by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert. But the group has also explored less often performed works such as the “one off” quartets by composers who specialized in other types of composition. For instance, quartets by Hugo Wolf, Edvard Grieg, Giuseppi Verdi, Carl Czerny, Giacomo Puccini, Samuel Barber, and George Gershwin. True North String Quartet has also explored works by composers that are long forgotten or little known but created hidden gems in the repertoire such as works by J. C. Arriaga, Wilhelm Stenhammer, Joseph Boulogne, Erich Korngold, Alfred Hill, and Joachim Raff.
The pieces chosen created fun and provocative titles over the years such as A Night at the Movies, A Night at the Opera, Hail Britannia, Prodigies and Masters, The Killer B’s, A. K. A., Maiden Voyage, First and Only, Teacher – Student – Master, Czech it Out, Land Sea and Sky, and Nordic Dreams.
The True North String Quartet hopes to continue to bring unique and entertaining programs to the Upper Peninsula through Beacon Arts Michigan.