The Isidore String Quartet, a New York-based quartet founded in 2019, visited the University of Iowa for a week-long residency filled with performances and meeting with music students.
The string quartet consists of four musicians. Adrian Steele, a violinist; Phoenix Avalon, another violinist; Devin Moore, a violist; and Joshua McClendon, a cellist.
Elizabeth Oakes, the director of the UI String Quartet Residency Program, said Hancher Auditorium collaborates with the residency program to bring major ensembles and string quartets to campus to have residencies and work with students within the school of music.
“One of the great things about living in Iowa City is its very robust arts community,” Oakes said. “We have a lot happening on campus. And so figuring out times that work for our school of music students, for the Hancher schedule, and work for the Isidore String Quartet is a lot of planning.”
The string quartet performed in the Frank Conroy room at Dey House on Feb. 24.
Steele said they played a variety of music from different composers for the hour-long concert.
“We kind of wanted to get a variety of different styles,” Steele said. “A tasting of a menu is a nice way of thinking about it for an hour-long concert.”
One of the pieces they performed was “String Quartet op.76/4 ‘Sunrise’, 1st Movement” by Joseph Haydn, which provides a pleasant sound and includes transitions between slow-paced and rapid paced.
“The Writers Workshop Space is always a highlight for residencies,” Oakes said. “If you look at the shape of the room, it’s kind of like being inside an instrument. For string quartets, the sound is just incredible because the instruments just love all that wood.”
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Another piece they performed was the “String Quartet No. 3, 2nd Mvt Andante in b flat major” by Johannes Brahms, which consists of elegant and emotional tones throughout the song.
“Carrot Revolution” by Gabriella Smith was a dramatic shift from the other songs in the setlist. The musicians used different musical techniques, such as a drum beat on the cello, tightening the bow for a more ‘crunchy’ sound on the strings, and up-and-down pitch movements on the fingerboards of the instruments.
At times, the song would transition from the unconventional sounds to a faster, elegant sound. The song continued, where the musicians infused those unusual but intriguing techniques as the pace became more rapid and escalating.
Throughout the week, the string quartet visited different classes at the school of music, including a women’s making music class, a 20th century music class, and a music theory class.
They performed songs such as “Carrot Revolution” and “American Mosaic,” and the students got to ask them questions about their careers and how they chose and practiced the music they played.
Matthew Clarke, a UI second year orchestral conducting graduate student, said the students responded positively to the music they played.
“The performances were really well received with most students,” Clarke said. “These are newer works, but at the same time they’re complicated. They make it seem so effortless, and it was really clear what they were trying to say with the music. I think that’s what really resonated well with the students.”
The Isidore String Quartet performed at Hancher Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26.
They performed choral arrangements that were arranged for string quartets such as by Johann Sebastian Bach, string arrangements by Brahms, and “Carrot Revolution” by Smith.
“I love having that chance to collaborate with Hancher and bringing these artists to campus,” Oakes said. “Having this opportunity to have these amazing musicians on campus with the ability to collaborate around campus is really interesting.”