Harlem Quartet Brings Music of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel and Dizzy Gillespie to Athens

September 19, 2022

Three men in suits and a woman in a red dress stand in front of a fence across the harbor from New York City.

“The Harlem Quartet takes the whole universe of music as their domain.”—San Diego Union-Tribune

“Strings Evolving” is a motto of the Harlem Quartet, appearing in the free Payne Memorial Concert Sunday, Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. at Hodgson Concert Hall. Since 2006, the critically acclaimed ensemble has pursued its mission of performing music by underrepresented composers as well as familiar works. Along the way, they have worked with such jazz legends as Gary Burton, Stanley Clarke, Paquito D’Rivera, and Chick Corea, with whom they won a Grammy.

The quartet’s characteristically varied program for its UGA Presents debut is bookended with quartets by Fanny Hensel (sister of fellow composer Felix Mendelssohn) and Claude Debussy, with jazz and Cuban music in between. Dizzy Gillespie’s swinging “A Night in Tunisia” is followed by the infectious Cuarteto en Guaguancó by composer and conductor Guido López-Gavilán.

Payne Memorial Concert

The Payne Memorial Concert is named in honor of Dr. William Jackson “Jack” Payne, former dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, who founded the Franklin College Chamber Music Series in 1978. Dean Payne had a great love of the arts, and his wish was that the college should make a significant contribution to the cultural life of both the University and the Athens community through the chamber music series. In honor of his efforts, the Payne Memorial Concert is presented free to the public once each season (tickets are required).

There will be a free pre-performance talk in Ramsey Concert Hall at 2:15 p.m.

Chamber Music at the PAC

The Harlem Quartet is the first of four string quartets appearing in Hodgson Concert Hall this season. Nov. 20, the Schumann Quartet, including three brothers named Schumann, will perform music by Haydn, Beethoven, and Charles Ives (his richly melodious First Quartet). The celebrated Emerson Quartet plays Beethoven in a Jan. 10. 2023 stop on its farewell tour. And the Pavel Haas Quartet — called “the world’s most exciting string quartet” by Gramophone Magazine — brings quartets by Suk, Korngold and Dvořák to Athens March 13.

 

For a complete list of UGA Presents performances, click here.

Three Ways to Order Tickets

  1. Purchase tickets online 24/7 online here.
  2. Call the Performing Arts Center Box Office at (706) 542-4400, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  3. Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (5 minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)