Brooklyn Rider Quartet Returns to Central Florida, Now thru 11/3

The Bach Festival Society brings renowned string quartet Brooklyn Rider back to Central Florida for another residency in partnership with A Gift for Music and the Orange County Public Schools, followed by a public performance in Tiedtke Concert Hall.

Brooklyn Rider is known for its creative programming and exciting collaborations, particularly with cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. Programmatically, the quartet is devoted both to the interpretation of existing quartet literature and to the creation of new works, including the performance of a newly commissioned work by jazz pianist and composer Vijay Iyer.

Brooklyn Rider will be in residence in Central Florida today, November 1-3, 2012, and will work with the 450 students in the A Gift For Music program, more than 2,500 of their school peers, and more than 65 musicians in the A Gift For Music orchestras. In total, the quartet will reach more than 3,000 Orange County Public School students.

This focal point of the residency is a short piece composed by Vijay Iyer and commissioned by the Bach Festival Society. This new, original work for string quartet will be part of a larger collection of works for performance and recording titled The Brooklyn Rider Almanac. Nicholas Cords of Brooklyn Rider says, “The idea of premiering a piece in the school is unusual and fun. It is a great platform to bring a tangible sense of excitement to the kids, underscoring the process-oriented work we employ as a string quartet.“

The residency takes place today, November 1-3, 2012 at various locations, with a performance set for Sunday, November 4, 2012, at 3:00pm at Tiedtke Concert Hall, Rollins College, located at 1000 Holt Ave, Winter Park, Fla. Performance tickets range from $35 to $50. Call the Box Office at 407.646.2182 or visit www.BachFestivalFlorida.org.

Since Brooklyn Rider’s last appearance in Central Florida, the group has had a Carnegie Hall debut; completed multiple U.S. tours, a European tour, and a performance trip to China; and has appeared at Lincoln Center. It has also performed at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, proving its appeal to all audiences.

The mission of the Bach Festival Society is to inspire the human spirit through great classical music, featuring powerful choral performances, as we celebrate the legacy of J.S. Bach. The 2012–2013 Season is the Society’s 78th year of presenting outstanding musical offerings to the Central Florida community.

Located in Winter Park, Florida, the Bach Festival Society is one of the longest continuously operating Bach Festivals in the country and among America’s great oratorio societies. The Bach Festival Society brings the highest caliber of classical music to Central Florida. Performances are held in the intimate settings of Tiedtke Concert Hall and Knowles Memorial Chapel on the beautiful campus of Rollins College.