I performed in this concert as part of Trevor New’s and Bryan Reeder’s String Quartet/Piano Quintet. Check it out here, applicable quotes below:
The evening kicked off with Trevor New’s “Sloan”, a piece written for string quartet, with a viola soloist. The strikingly surreal and melancholic viola melodies were complemented by a crescendo of rising and uplifting pulses that evolved into a sad and beautiful harmony. “Sloan”, which featured some ambient bow noise and pizzicato violin, elegantly combined influences that spanned several centuries. The inclusion of an electric bass was a unique addition to the traditional string quartet.
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Bryan Reeder’s “Piano Quintet” was an impressive piano piece that featured a string quartet. Reeder conducted his own piece, the complexity of which was apparent in Schoenberg-like leaps in melody and dynamics. The string quartet held together a tight and cohesive ambience, while the piano interlude featured the sparse, spacious, subtle dissonances that gave the composition it’s own distinct flavor.