Spektral Quartet performs concert of sonic textures, presents pre-event workshop

North Central College presents Spektral Quartet as the featured ensemble at the annual Sounds of New Music Festival March 1.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, in North Central’s Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. Tickets are $15/adults and $5/seniors and students; call the North Central College Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/show.    

Founded in 2010, the Spektral Quartet is widely regarded as one of Chicago’s most magnetic and forward-thinking chamber ensembles. Known for bringing classical music into everyday life, it serves as ensemble-in-residence at the University of Chicago. Members include violinists Clara Lyon and Austin Wulliman, viola player Doyle Armbrust and cellist Russell Rolen.

Spektral Quartet will present an evening of amazing sonic textures; new and contemporary works that explore the acoustical space of North Central’s Wentz Concert Hall. The concert showcases works by contemporary German and Austrian composers. Among them is a work by composer and conductor Beat Furrer who, in 2014, was awarded Austria’s highest artistic honor, the Grand Austria State Prize.  

Praised by the New York Times for its 2015 performance at the Ecstatic Music Festival, the c’s inclusive approach to concert format and shifting the role of audience member from spectator to ally has earned it a loyal following in the United States. Starting off 2016, the Spektral Quartet marked the unveiling of the group’s fourth full-length album, “Serious Business” (Sono Luminus), an illumination of humor in classical music, including Josef Haydn’s “The Joke” quartet and inventive new commissions from Dave Reminick, Sky Macklay and Chris Fisher-Lochhead.

Before the evening performance, the quartet will host a free panel discussion and Q&A about self-employment in the arts and entrepreneurship. This event is open to the public and especially to young artists, musicians and students interested in arts management. It begins at 3 p.m. in the College’s theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St. Topics for discussion include the benefits and challenges of having self-determination, for-profit versus non-profit models, branding, division of labor issues and much more.

North Central College’s 2015-2016 Fine and Performing Arts Season is partially sponsored by BMO Harris Bank, Nicor Gas, Advanced Data Technologies, Savant Capital Management, USG Corporation, Monarch Landing, Naperville Special Events and Cultural Amenities Fund, Illinois Arts Council Agency, DuPage Foundation and Naperville Development Partnership.