Members of the New Orleans-based Delachaise Ensemble will perform “”Music for
String Quartet on June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at The Lancaster Playhouse. The quartet includes
Northern Neck Orchestra violinists Moises Cunha and Elizabeth Almond Crute Cunha, cellist
Jake Fowler and violist Catherine Matushek.
The concert begins with Bedrich Smetana’s reflective autobiographical composition
String Quartet No. 1, called “From My Life.” This vivid exploration of the composer’s
experiences features a lively polka.
The quartet next performs String Quartet in G major by pioneering composer Florence
Price, one of the first African-American women to gain recognition as a composer of classical
music. Her quartet beautifully blends traditional European music with African-American styles.
The concert ends with William Bolcom’s genre-bending gem Three Rags for String
Quartet. This brilliant adoption of ragtime produces a rhythmic romp that challenges the
technical skills of the performers and will thrill the audience.