World premiere of Anna Clyne's 'Quarter Days' to be presented at DeBartolo

Cheryl Morey, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read
In this file photo, Maestro Alastair Willis conducts the South Bend Symphony Orchestra on March 2, 2019, at the Morris Performing Arts Center. Willis and the SBSO will give the world premiere performance of Anna Clyne's "Quarter Days" with guest soloists the Euclid Quartet on Oct. 22, 2023, at the University of Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Symphony Orchestra and Fischoff National Chamber Music Association present the world premiere of Anna Clyne’s “Quarter Days” at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

Co-commissioned by the SBSO and Fischoff to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Fischoff, Clyne’s “Quarter Days” is described in a press release as “an homage to the past, and a bold step toward the future of classical music.”

Part of Clyne’s inspiration for “Quarter Days” comes from T.S. Eliot’s reflection on time in “Burnt Norton” from Four Quartets.

SBSO Music Director Alastair Willis conducts the world premiere of Clyne’s concerto for string quartet and chamber orchestra with guest soloists the Euclid Quartet.

The Euclid Quartet performs Oct. 22, 2023, as the guest soloist with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center for the world premiere of composer Anna Clyne's "Quarter Day," a concerto for string quartet and chamber orchestra that she wrote on commission from the SBSO and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association in commemoration of Fischoff's 50th anniversary in 2023.

The Euclid Quartet, made up of Fischoff alumni, also performs as a solo ensemble for Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546; Turina’s Bullfighter’s Prayer, Opus 34; and the fourth movement of Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major to open the concert.

The quartet-in-residence at Indiana University South Bend, the Euclid Quartet’s members are violinist Jameson Cooper and Aviva Hakanoglu, violist Luis Enrique Vargas, and cellist Justin Goldsmith.

Described as a “composer of uncommon gifts and unusual methods” in a New York Times profile and as “fearless” by NPR, Grammy Award-nominated Anna Clyne is one of the most in-demand composers today.

Composer Anna Clyne wrote "Quarter Day," a concerto for string quartet and chamber orchestra, on commission from the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association in commemoration of Fischoff's 50th anniversary in 2023. The SBSO will give it its world premiere Oct. 22, 2023, at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center with the Euclid Quartet as the guest soloist.

In 2022 Clyne was named the eighth most performed contemporary composer in the world and the most performed living, female British composer.

The concert’s program also includes the SBSO performing Pärt’s Cantus in memoriam of Benjamin Britten and and Haydn’s Symphony No. 1.

Founded in 1973 in South Bend and now based at Notre Dame, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the United States.

The SBSO celebrated its 90th anniversary during the 2022-23 season.

The SBSO, Fischoff and the Euclid Quartet also present a preview of “Quarter Days” from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at the St. Joseph County Public Library, 304 S. Main St. Admission is free.

Tickets for the concert are $35-$25.

For more information, call 574-631-2800 or visit performingarts.nd.edu, annaclyne.com, fischoff.org, southbendsymphony.org and euclidquartet.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: SBSO, Fischoff and Euclid premiere Anna Clyne's 'Quarter Days'