Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The UNCW Arts in Action Performance Series will present the Kronos Quartet performing an eclectic program of modern works by frequent composer-collaborator Terry Riley and others as well as the mystical and musical traditions of Central Asia and the Middle East at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 11 in Kenan Auditorium. This special performance is co-sponsored by the Office of Cultural Arts and Chamber Music Wilmington. The concert will be followed by a post-performance talk back with the artists.

For more than 30 years, the Kronos Quartet — David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola) and Jeffrey Zeigler (cello) — has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet. In the process, Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 40 recordings of extraordinary breadth and creativity, collaborating with many of the world's most eclectic composers and performers and commissioning hundreds of works and arrangements for string quartet.

Integral to their work, Kronos has built a strong tradition of collaborating with many of the world's most eclectic composers and performers. An ongoing relationship with minimalist composer Riley has resulted in Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector, Cadenza on the Night Plain, Salome Dances for Peace, The Cusp of Magic and Sun Rings, a multimedia, NASA-commissioned piece featuring celestial sounds and images from space. Another frequent collaborator is Philip Glass, for whom the quartet recorded the Dracula score for a restored edition of the classic Bela Lugosi film. Kronos continues to commission hundreds of works and arrangements for string quartet.

Kronos Quartet has worked with a number of outstanding artists from a multitude of genres. Frequent collaborators include Chinese pipa musician Wu Man, Bollywood "playback singer" Asha Bhosle, Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq and Mexican rock group Café Tacuba. Kronos has also performed live with icons such as Allen Ginsberg, Tom Waits, Howard Zinn and David Bowie. The ensemble is featured on recordings by Nine Inch Nails, DJ Spooky, Dave Matthews, Nelly Furtado and Björk. Kronos is renowned for its film scores including Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, 21 Grams, Heat, and True Stories.

The April 11 program features Good Medicine from Riley's Salome Dances for Peace; Raga Mishra Bhairavi: Alap by Ram Naravan (arr. Kronos, transc. Ljova); Requeim for a Dream Suite by Clint Mansell (arranged by David Lang); Harp and Altar by Missy Mazzoli; Aheym (Homeward) by Bryce Dessner; Ya Habibi Ta'ala (My Love, Come Quickly) by Midhat Assem (arranged by Osvaldo Golijov); Smyrneiko Minore, a traditional arrangement by Jacob Garchik; Tashweesh by Ramallah Underground (arranged by Jacob Garchik); Flugufrelsarinn (The Fly Freer) by Sigur Rós; and …hold me, neighbor, in this storm…by Aleksandra Vrebalov.

Tickets to the performance are $24 for the general public; $20 for senior citizens and UNCW employees; $10 for non-UNCW students; and $6 for UNCW students. Group discounts are available. Call Kenan Box Office at 910.962.3500 or 800.732.3643 outside the Wilmington area or visit www.uncw.edu/presents. Box office hours are Noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and one hour prior to the event.

The Arts in Action Performance Series seeks to culturally enrich, educate and entertain both students and the Wilmington community through the presentation of diverse programs featuring professional, high-quality performing artists. The series is supported by grants from the North Carolina Arts Council, a Division of the Department of Cultural Resources with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Southern Arts Federation in partnership with National Endowment for the Arts.

Media Contact: Shannon Hooker, 910.962.7600