Concert Four | Morning Dances

A big part of what inspires us as a string quartet is the possibility for collaboration across artistic disciplines. We have had a long history working with dancers and choreographers, having been the resident quartet at the Vail Dance Festival (Vail, Colorado, USA) for more than ten years. One of the amazing artists we have encountered over the years is Australia’s own Melissa Toogood, a visionary dancer whose long history with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and choreographer Pam Tanowitz has made her one of the most esteemed dancers of her generation. Melissa has invited the multi-faceted dancer and Gold Coast native Fiona Jopp to join this program, Morning Dances.

For the occasion, we have decided to make this a morning of musical solos; grounded by two of Bach’s most iconic works for solo string instruments, the morning also features three contemporary works. Kate Moore and Liza Lim are both Australian-born composers with worldwide reputations, the former represented by a mesmerising work for solo viola and the latter, a jaw-dropping work for solo cello.

Our dear friend Ariadne Greif rejoins the fold to present a recent work by the ever-wonderful Caroline Shaw, featuring the extraordinary poetry of Anne Carson. This collaboration will come together on the grounds of UKARIA, and this particular program likely won’t exist anywhere else in the same way! Save room on your dance card!

– Brooklyn Rider

Johnny Gandelsman | Violin
Colin Jacobsen | Violin
Nicholas Cords | Viola
Michael Nicolas | Cello
Melissa Toogood | Dancer and Choreographer
Fiona Jopp | Dancer
Ariadne Greif | Soprano

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Cello Suite No. 1 in G, BWV 1007 (transcribed for violin) [13′]

I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Minuet I / II
VI. Gigue

Kate Moore (b. 1979)
For Tor [7′]

Caroline Shaw (b. 1982)
We Need To Talk [10′]

Liza Lim (b. 1966)
Invisibility [12′]

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Chaconne from Partita for Solo Violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 [17′]