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Emerson String Quartet | |
|---|---|
 The Emerson String Quartet in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Emerson Quartet |
| Origin | New York City, United States |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation | String quartet |
| Instrument(s) | 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello |
| Years active | 1976–2023 |
| Labels | Deutsche Grammophon, New World, Sony Classical |
| Members | Eugene Drucker Philip Setzer Lawrence Dutton Paul Watkins |
| Past members | Guillermo Figueroa, Jr. Eric Wilson David Finckel |
| Website | www |
The Emerson String Quartet, also known as the Emerson Quartet,[1] was an American string quartet initially formed as a student group at the Juilliard School in 1976. It was named for American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson and began touring professionally in 1976.[2] The ensemble taught in residence at The Hartt School in the 1980s and is currently the quartet in residence at Stony Brook University.[3] Both of the founding violinists studied with Oscar Shumsky at Juilliard, and the two alternated as first and second violinists for the group. The Emerson Quartet was one of the first such ensembles with the two violinists alternating chairs.[4]
The Emerson Quartet was inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[5] As of May 2014[update], they had released more than thirty albums and won nine Grammy Awards, as well as the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize in 2004.[6][7][8] In 2017, the Emerson String Quartet Institute became part of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University. The institute enables members of the current quartet and the quartet's former cellist David Finckel to mentor and coach student string quartets.[9]
In August 2021, the quartet announced its plan to disband at the end of the 2022–2023 season in order to focus on teaching and solo work.[10] In the final season of concerts in 2022-23, the quartet gave farewell performances throughout North America and Europe. The final performance of the quartet took place on Sunday, October 22, 2023, in New York City, featuring a program of Beethoven's Op. 130 string quartet (with its original ending, the Grosse Fuge, Op. 133) and Schubert's string quintet D. 956. The performance was filmed by Tristan Cook for a planned documentary.[11][12]
- ^ Church, Michael. "Emerson String Quartet, St John’s, Smith Square, London, review: Thrilling performance of ineffable Beethoven fugue", The Independent (November 6, 2017).
- ^ "Emerson String Quartet". hope.edu. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ "History of The Hartt School". hartford.edu. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ "Emerson String Quartet". Carnegie Hall. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ "View Inductees: Emerson String Quartet". classicalwalkoffame.org. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ "Emerson String Quartet". smithsonianassociates.org. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ Huizenga, Tom. "The Emerson Quartet At (Le) Poisson Rouge". NPR.org. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ Dischel, Robert S. (2000). Converging Lines: The Extraordinary Story of the Emerson String Quartet's First 25 Years. London: Risk Waters Group. ISBN 1-899332-68-5.
- ^ "Emerson String Quartet Institute". Stony Brook University, New York. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
- ^ Hernández, Javier C. (26 August 2021). "Celebrated String Quartet Will Disband, Ending 47-Year Run". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "Announcing the Final Farewell concerts: October 21-22, 2023". The Emerson Quartet. 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
- ^ "Emerson String Quartet: Farewell Performance". The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Retrieved 2023-07-08.