Calder Quartet to Perform World Premiere at Segerstrom Center, 3/11

Southern California's esteemed Calder Quartet, hailed as "outstanding" and "superb" by The New York Times, returns to Segerstrom Center on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 in Samueli Theater. For their return visit to the Center, violinists Benjamin Jacobson and Andrew Bulbrook, violist Jonathan Moerschel and cellist Eric Byers will premiere a new work by Andrew Norman that was co-commissioned by long-time supporters of the Center's Chamber Series Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting and Segerstrom Center to honor the 25th anniversary of the series. Their program will also include works by Benjamin Britten and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Violinist Andrew Bulbrook says, "We've been working with Andrew Norman for four years now and have been friends with him since our days as freshman at USC 15 years ago...It is a huge honor to have him write a new string quartet for us...We are pairing this new work with Britten's String Quartet No. 2, a prodigious composer like Andrew who rose to become a cultural institution for his native country, and the late great String Quartet, Op. 131 by Beethoven. Both of these canonical works are rooted in tradition while pushing forward and revealing new facets in each composer's voice. We feel it's a great setting for a new work by such an auspicious young composer as Andrew."

The Calder is noted for its virtuosity and commitment to new music, having performed more than 25 commissions. Its musicians have been selected by many leading contemporary composers to perform their works - including Christopher Rouse, Terry Riley and Thomas Ade?s.

Tickets for Calder Quartet start at $29 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. The TTY number is (714) 556-2746. There will be a free Preview Talk by musicologist and author Herbert Glass at 7:15 p.m. in Samueli Theater.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds the Colburn Foundation for its support of this engagement and the Chamber Music Series with special underwriting provided for this engagement by Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting. Kia is the Official Automotive Partner of the Center and United Airlines is the Official Airline of the Center. Classical KUSC is the Media Partner of the Chamber Music Series.

The Calder Quartet, called "outstanding" and "superb" by The New York Times, performs a broad range of repertoire at an exceptional level, always striving to channel and fulfill the composer's vision. Already the choice of many leading composers to perform their works, the group's distinctive approach is exemplified by a musical curiosity brought to everything they perform, whether it's Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, or sold-out rock shows with bands such as The National or The Airborne Toxic Event.

Winners of the 2014 Avery Fisher Career Grant, they are known for the discovery, commissioning, recording and mentoring of some of today's best emerging composers. The group continues to work and collaborate with artists across musical genres, spanning the ranges of the classical and contemporary music world, as well as rock and visual arts. They perform in venues ranging from art galleries and rock clubs to renowned concert halls. Inspired by innovative American artist Alexander Calder, the Calder Quartet's desire to bring immediacy and context to the works they perform creates an artfully crafted musical experience.

The Calder Quartet formed at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music and continued studies at the Colburn Conservatory of Music with Ronald Leonard and at the Juilliard School, where it received the Artist Diploma in Chamber Music Studies as the Juilliard Graduate Resident String Quartet. The quartet regularly conducts master classes and has been featured in this capacity at the Colburn School (where the quartet was in residence for three years), the Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory and USC Thornton School of Music.

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