The original rock band of string quartets Washington Post
Experimental and cutting edge, San Francisco's Kronos Quartet take on New Zealand in March.
Using pre-recorded tape and amplification Kronos are renowned for redefining what it means to be a string quartet and this concert will be no different - with transformative Indian raga and music ranging from ancient Serbia to modern-day New Zealand.
Having performed at last year's BBC Proms as well as with the likes of icons Allen Ginsberg, Modern Jazz Quartet, Tom Waits, Betty Carter and David Bowie this quartet is ...vital, and energetic, and alive and cool, and not afraid to kick ass. David Harrington, first violinist
The quartet by Valentin Silvestrov, considered by Arvo Pärt to be the world’s “greatest living composer”, leads into one of Kronos’ signature works, WTC 9/11 by Steve Reich; and …hold me, neighbor, in this storm… is one of their most recent commissions, fusing the modern string quartet with Orthodox plainchant and the instruments of the ancient Serbian poets.
PROGRAMME INCLUDES
Ram Narayan (arr. Kronos, tr. Ljova) - Raga Mishra Bhairavi: Alap
Jack Body - Arum Manis
Valentin Silvestrov - String Quartet № 3
Steve Reich - WTC 9/11
Aleksandra Vrebalov - …hold me, neighbor, in this storm…
