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Live Music is Back!

On Friday, October 1st, WESQ delighted a chilly audience of outdoor listeners on Hartford's Pratt Street with a performance of movements from Bach's Art of the Fugue. Pratt Street concerts are presented by Hartford.com



Upcoming Concerts

Music for Aymeric

Saturday, February 17 at 7:00 PM

United Church of Stonington, 67 Main Street

A special program feature that will interest the greater Stonington audience is a composition by Dr. Neely Bruce in memory of his dear friend and colleague Aymeric Dupré la Tour. Neely Bruce, Professor of Music and American Studies at Wesleyan University, is a composer, conductor, pianist and scholar of American music.

Excerpts from The Art of Fugue
by J. S. Bach

A Partita for Aymeric Dupré la Tour
by Neely Bruce

Suggested Donation: $20

This concert will be presented on February 18 at 4:00 PM

at First Church Fairfield, 148 Beach Road, Fairfield, Connecticut
Music in the Meetinghouse, the concert series of First Church Congregational, Fairifeld, presents the West End String Quartet Sunday, February 18, at 4:00 PM. This performance is given in memory of Aymeric Dupré la Tour. A reception will follow.

The program features excerpts from Bach's The Art of the Fugue and a new work by Connecticut composer and Wesleyan University professor Neely Bruce, in memory of Aymeric. Dupré la Tour, a native of Lyon, France, was Director of Music at First Church from 2012 to 2016, and then served at St. Theresa Church, Trumbull. He died at the age of 49 in a tragic auto accident in May 2022.

General admission $20; $10 senior citizens; $5 students. Tickets available at the door (cash, check, or credit card) and may be reserved by email: fmartignetti@firstchurchfairfield.org.

The concert is also listed on FCBuzz.org: https://culturalalliancefc.org/event/the-west-end-string-quartet-a-concert-in-memory-of-aymeric-dupre-la-tour/



Past Concerts/Seasons

Mozart's Dissonant Quartet

October 22nd, 2023 at 3:00pm

Christ Church Cathedral
45 Church Street
Hartford, CT 06103

For more information contact 860.527.7231 or email office@cccathedral.org

A Tribute to William Wasch

Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 3:00pm

Crowell Concert Hall

FREE!

A concert in memory of William Wasch ’52, P ’84, ’84, ’'92 (1931-2021) will feature The West End String Quartet—Sarah Washburn and Marianne Vogel on violin, Wesleyan Chamber Music Ensemble Director John Biatowas on viola, and Anne Berry on cello–performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465, “Dissonance,” and “A String Quartet for William Wasch” by John Spencer Camp Professor of Music Neely Bruce. Bruce will also perform his solo work “The Enchantment of Heavenly Love” on celeste (bell piano).

Presented by the Music Department with Alpha Delta Phi as part of Wesleyan’s Homecoming/Family Weekend.

Counterpoint and Line in Art & Music: Sol LeWitt and the Interplay of Forms Part I

New Britain Museum of American Art Sunday, November 7, 2022 .3-4:30 p.m.

Program:
  • Selections from The Art of Fugue, by J. S. Bach
  • 21 Lines: Pulse Music for Sol LeWitt, (String Quartet No. 7) by Neely Bruce (world premiere)
  • Contrapunctus 14, by Bach, completion by Kevin Korsyn (world premiere of Korsyn’s version for string quartet)
Beethoven's 250th Birthday Bash

Friday, February 21st, 2020, 7:30pm

Wesleyan University, Crowell Concert Hall
45 Wyllys Avenue
Middletown, CT 06459

$28 general public; $26 senior citizens, Wesleyan faculty/staff/alumni, non-Wesleyan students; $6 Wesleyan students, youth under 18

CLICK TO BUY TICKETS

Pre-concert talk at 7pm by Associate Professor of Music and Medieval Studies Jane Alden.

“[Beethoven’s] combination of beauty and unpredictability, extreme emotional depth and intellectual rigour, across so many genres, is unsurpassed and probably always will be.”
—BBC Music

Listen local! The Wesleyan Music Department community celebrates the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) with an inspired, diverse mix of traditional and experimental tributes. The program will include the Quintet in E-Flat for Piano and Winds, Op. 16; Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69; and Grosse Fugue for string quartet, Op. 133; selections by Tyagaraja; as well as pieces written as homages by graduate student composers: Aliya Ultan's "Ode" and Stuart Wheeler's "Harp."

Featuring Private Lessons Teachers Libby Van Cleve on oboe, Charlie Suriyakham on clarinet, Robert Hoyle on French horn, Gary Bennett on bassoon, Julie Ribchinsky on cello, and Carolyn Halsted and Yvonne Troxler on piano; the West End String QuartetSarah Washburn and Marianne Vogel on violin, Wesleyan Chamber Music Ensemble Director John Biatowas on viola, and Anne Berry on cello; and Wesleyan South Indian music faculty—vocalist and Adjunct Associate Professor of Music B. Balasubrahmaniyan and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music David Nelson on mridangam.
From New York to Paris

Sunday, November 3 , 2019 at 4 pm
Old St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
59 Tariffville Road
Bloomfield, CT

Saturday, November 9 , 2019 at 7 pm
Music at the Meetinghouse Series
First Church of Christ
2183 Main Street
Glastonbury, CT

The West End String Quartet (WESQ) is thrilled to present a spirited program entitled “From New York to Paris” featuring works by composers rooted in the American and French traditions from the 19th -21st centuries showcasing an effervescent palette of timbral sonorities. We are also delighted to collaborate with soprano Lisabeth Miller for a dramatic performance of Virgil Thomson’s Stabat Mater.
Danny's Concert: A chamber music program to welcome Autumn!

Sunday, September 23rd, 2018, 4:00PM

Union Arts Center
2 Union Street
Sparkill, NY 10976

Charles Yassky and friends perform chamber music for clarinet, strings and piano by Neely Bruce, Roger Király, Jordan Dykstra and W.A.Mozart in a remembrance of Danny Klein.

Performers are Charles Yassky, clarinet, Neely Bruce, piano and the West End String Quartet. The program will conclude with the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581 by Mozart, a piece written for the clarinet shortly after the instrument was invented and still one of the most revered and widely performed works for clarinet and strings.

Free event, but space is limited and reserving tickets is recommended.

All contributions will benefit the Danny’s Promise program at Jawonio.
WESQ and Friends

Friday, August 31st, 2018, 7:30PM

Covenant Village of Cromwell

The West End String Quartet is joined by clarinetist Charles Yassky and pianist Neely Bruce.

On the program are:
Chorale and Variations by Mr. Bruce
The Neutral Mask by Jordan Dykstra
Two Folk Songs and an Abstract by Roger Király
Quintet in A Major for clarinet and strings, K. 581 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Free admission, open to the public.
Member of WESQ in concert

Sunday, February 11, 2018, 3PM

Wesleyan University, Crowell Concert Hall
45 Wyllys Avenue
Middletown, CT 06459

Members of the West End String Quartet along with clarinetist Charles Yassky and pianist/composer Neely Bruce present an afternoon of music by Bruce, Kiraly, Dykstra, and Mozart
Music at the Meeting House Series

Saturday, November 4, 2017, 7:30PM

First Church of Christ Congregational
2183 Main St.
Glastonbury, CT 06033

An Evening of Intimate Voices with the West End String Quartet: Works by Jean Sibelius, Ludwig van Beethoven and a premiere by composer Christopher Farley.
The West End String Quartet Featuring Pianist Ira Braus

Sunday, October 9, 2016 | 3:00PM

The Russell House
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT

Concert is free and open to the public

The group will perform music for string trio and piano quartet with pianist Ira Braus from The Hartt School of Music, including Robert Schumann's sublime Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47; Max Reger's Trio No. 2 in d minor, Op. 141b; and the world premiere of String Trio in g minor by Wesleyan's John Spencer Camp Professor of Music Neely Bruce.
Members of the West End String Quartet in Concert

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 | 7:30PM

St. James Episcopal Church
3 Mountain Rd., Farmington, CT 06032
(Parking in rear of church)

Concert is free and open to the public

Performing works by:
JS Bach, Max Reger, and Hector Villa-Lobos
Friday, November 20th, 2015 7:30 pm
Branford Historical Society
sponsored by The Musical Art Society of Branford

Program:
Bach: Goldberg Variations selections (arr. for string trio by Sitkovetsky)
Lutoslowski: Bucolics, for viola and cello
Beethoven: String Trio in G Major, Op. 9 No. 1
Friday, November 13th, 2015 7:00 pm
Old St. Andrews Church, Bloomfield, CT

Program:
Bach: Goldberg Variations selections (arr. for string trio by Sitkovetsky)
Lutoslowski: Bucolics, for viola and cello
Beethoven: String Trio in G Major, Op. 9 No. 1
WESQ at Emanuel Lutheran Church

Saturday, November 8th, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
Emanuel Lutheran Church
60 Church St. Manchester, CT

Works include Shostakovich's 3rd quartet, Mozart K 575 and more!
WESQ at Wesleyan

Sunday, October 5th, 2014 at 3:00 p.m.
The Russell House (the corner of Washington St. and High St.)
Wesleyan University

The West End String Quartet will perform works by Shostakovich, Mozart, and Eryilmaz.
Wesleyan Alumni Composition Concert

Saturday, May 24th, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.
Crowell Concert Hall
Wesleyan University

The West End String Quartet and friends perform a concert of recent works by Wesleyan Alumni of Neely Bruce. This concert was previously performed as part of the Hartford New Music Festival.
The West End String Quartet at St. John's Episcopal Church

Sunday, May 18th, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.
St. John's Episcopal Church
523 Hartford Turnpike Vernon, CT
The West End String Quartet at The Simsbury Historical Society

Saturday, April 26th, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
Location TBD
Simsbury, CT
WESQ at Capital Community College

Thursday, April 17th, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.
Centinel Hall - 11th Floor
Capital Community College

WESQ premieres a new work by Matt Sargent.
The West End String Quartet with guest pianist Rodrigo Queiroz

Sunday, November 17th, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
St. James Episcopal Church
3 Mountain Road Farmington, CT 06032

Meet-and-greet reception following concert.

Program:

Smetana: String Quartet in E Minor, "From My Life"
Mozart: Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, K. 493
Eryilmaz, Miniatures Set No. 4 for String Quartet
The West End String Quartet at the Art Institute of Western Maine

Saturday, May 18th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.
Nordica Auditorium
The University of Maine at Farmington

with Anne Berry, cello
The West End String Quartet performs at The Hartt School *RESCHEDULED*

Sunday, March 24th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.
Berkman Recital Hall
The Hartt School, West Hartford, CT.

Admission is free. Seating is limited.

with Anne Berry, cello

Program:

Martinu: Serenáda II
Jesperson: Selections from Getz Going
  with saxophonist Sheri Brown
Beethoven: String Quartet in F Major, op. 59, no. 1

Wesleyan Composers Concert

Monday, February 4th, 2012, 8:00 p.m.  | CFA Hall
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT.

Admission is free. Seating is limited.

West End String Quartet, along with other artists, present brand new works by Wesleyan student
composers. Cellist Han-Wei Lu joins the quartet for this concert.

WESQ in Concert

Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at 8 p.m.  | Berkman Recital Hall
The Hartt School, West Hartford, CT.

Admission is free. Seating is limited.

Program:

Mozart: String Quartet in F Major, K.590
Neely Bruce: A String Quartet for Alvin
Brahms: String Quintet in F Major, Op. 88 (Ruth Bergman joins the quartet on violin)

Concert @ Evergreen Woods

Monday, December 12th, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.  | Evergreen Woods Retirement Community
North Branford, CT.

WESQ presents an hour-long program of Mozart and Beethoven for the Evergreen Woods Community. Ruth Bergman joins the quartet on violin.

Hartt Faculty Chamber Music Recital


Sunday, November 20th, 2011 at 2 p.m.  | Berkman Recital Hall
The Hartt School, West Hartford, CT.
Admission is free. Seating is limited.
Features members of Hartt faculty including the West End String Quartet, performing Mozart.

Lucier Celebration Concert IV: Tributes


Sunday, November 6th, 2011 at 2 p.m.  | Crowell Concert Hall
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT.
Tickets: $12, $10, $6 (860) 685-3355 (Box Office)
A tribute concert by friends and colleagues of Alvin Lucier. The WESQ will be performing works by Neely Bruce and Gordon Mumma.

Criminal Intent - Rhymes With Opera (Featuring the West End String Quartet)


Friday, June 17, 2011 at 7 p.m.  |  Café Orwell
247 Varet St., Brooklyn, NY 11206
 
Saturday, June 18 at 6 p.m.  |  The Windup Space
12 W. North Ave., Baltimore, MD 21201
*A party for Friends of RWO after the show!*
 
Friday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m.  |  Real Art Ways
56 Arbor St., Hartford, CT 06106
 
Saturday, June 25 at 2 p.m.  |  Yes!Oui!Si! Space
19 Vancouver St., Boston, MA 02115

All Concerts $10, $5/Students

Program:
Ruby Fulton – Being for the Breakdown
Kyle Gann – Concord Spiral
Alfred Schnittke – String Quartet No. 3

Ryan Jesperson – Orphée Redux
Martin Zimmerman and George Lam – Someone Anyone
David Smooke – Criminal Element (premiere, commissioned by RWO)

Visit www.rhymeswithopera.org for more info!

WESQ performs at Western New England College

Friday, February 25, 2011, 7:30pm
1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA
Blake Law School Center Commons - off of Bradley Road
(Campus Map: http://www1.wnec.edu/aboutus/index.cfm?selection=doc.585)
Admission: Free
Program includes Brahms' Quartet in A minor, 59:2, Mozart's Divertimento in D major, K. 136 and a selection of Argentinean tangos.

WESQ at Wesleyan

Tuesday, February 1, 2011, 12:00 noon
WESQ will perform a 45-minute program at Wesleyan University at noon on Tuesday, February 1st.  The program includes Brahms’ String Quartet in A minor, 51:2 and a selection of Argentinean tangos.

Music@First Series

Sunday, November 14th, 2010 3:00pm
First Congregational Church of Vernon
695 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon CT
Admission: $7 donation at the door/$5 for seniors and students

Program: A sixty minute program featuring selections by Brahms, Mozart, and Dohnanyi

WESQ in Concert

Friday, November 12th, 2010 7:00pm
St. James's Church
1018 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, CT
Admission: Free

Program: Quartets by Brahms, Mozart and the Dohnanyi String Serenade

Celebrating Chopin's 200th Birthday

Friday, November 5th, 2010, 8:00pm

Crowell Concert Hall
Wesleyan University
Admission: $22 General Admission/$18 Seniors

Program: The West End String Quartet joins pianist Donald Berman on a new arrangement of Chopin's "La Ci Darem" variations on a theme by Mozart.
http://events.wesleyan.edu for more info

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010, 7:30pm

Berkman Auditorium
The Hartt School, University of Hartford

Admission: Free

Program: Mendelssohn String Quartet in e minor, Op. 44, No. 2
Bartok String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7
Beethoven String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp"

Monday, May 3rd, 2010, 1:30pm

Hartt Community Division Faculty Recital
725 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT

Simsbury Public Library Lunchtime Concert Series. Admission: Free

Program: Chamber music by Hartt Community Division faculty, including the West End String Quartet performing Bartok's String Quartet No. 1.

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009, 7:30pm

Hamlin Hall, Trinity College
300 Summit Street, Hartford

Admission: Free (Be sure to arrive early for a seat in this popular venue!) Visit the Trinity College website for directions.

Program:

  • Haydn - Quartet in d minor, 76:2
  • Rebecca Clarke - Two Movements for String Quartet
  • Dan Roman - Sonora Complexidad
  • Astor Piazzolla - Introduccion y Muerte del Angel
  • Four, for Tango

Thursday, September 24th, 2009, 7:00pm

An Evening of New Music at Capital Community College
Centinel Hill Hall Auditorium, 950 Main Street, Hartford

Admission: Free. (Note: Free and secure parking will be available during the concert in the Columbus Boulevard Parking Lot.)

This concert features several local composers and performers. WESQ will perform two pieces: A Muse by David Macbride and selected movements of String Quartet #1 by Arthur Hernandez.

Saturday, May 16th, 2009, 7:30pm

St. Augustine's Church
35 Washington Avenue, Seymour, CT

The quartet will perform Beethoven's Quartet Opus 18, No. 6; James Lindsay's Second String Quartet, and Schumann's Quartet Opus 41, No. 3. Free will offering, reception to follow. See program details below.

Works to be performed:

String Quartet #2

James T. Lindsay

James Lindsay's Second String Quartet was composed in 2002 through 2003, with revisions being made in 2008. This afternoon's concert is the world premiere. While not minimalist in its entirety, the piece incorporates the minimalist qualities of pulsation and use of ostinato. The work is in three movements. The first movement, an allegro, is primarily in 4/4. It's main theme of a minor ninth followed by a minor second is developed and explored throughout. The second movement, a moderato, is characterized by expanding harmonies beginning with a major second and ending in an octave. The third movement, a vivace, contains a constant eighth note pulse with alternating duple and triple meters. The main theme, appearing in the tenth measure, began as a dodecaphonic composition but is broken down into smaller pieces appearing throughout the movement.

String Quartet in A major, Op. 41 No. 3

Robert Schumann

Schumann composed only three string quartets, all in the summer of 1842, in the midst of his “chamber year.” Influenced by Beethoven, Schumann wanted to create an over-arching sense of unity in his large-scale works (though the fanciful nature of his better-known piano miniatures still shines through). In all of the movements of this quartet, a sense of conflict is created through contrast between rhythmic stability and instability. The third movement is in a form borrowed from vocal music, where the verses of the melody are repeated with varied accompaniment.

Sunday, February 1st, 2009, 2pm

St. James's Episcopal Church
1018 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06107

This concert will include the premier of New Haven composer Jay Lindsay's "String Quartet No. 2", as well as Schumann's Op. 41, no. 3.

Saturday, January 31st, 2009, 7pm

Ives Vocal Marathon
Crowell Concert Hall, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT

Neely Bruce's Ives Vocal Marathon culminates with seven concerts over three days, with a variety of programs. WESQ will be performing on the "Experimental Ives" concert. Tickets are $5/$4 students and seniors. For more info, visit www.ivesvocalmarathon.com

Saturday, September 27th, 2008, 7pm

Charles Ives Concert
814 Asylum Ave, Hartford, CT

In honor of Ives' 100th wedding anniversary. At the Asylum Hill Congregational Church. Admission $15. www.ahcc.org

Friday, April 4th, 2008, 8pm

Hamlin Hall, Trinity College
300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT

Visit the Trinity College Website!

Sunday, January 20th, 2008, 7:30pm

St Augustine Church
10 Campfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06114

The WESQ joins clarinetist Giancarlo Bazzano for Mozart's Clarinet Quintet. Program also includes works for clarinet and piano by Bach, Gershwin, Opperman, and Saint-Saens, with Daniel Pereira on piano.

November 10th, 2007, 8pm

Assumption Church
27 Adams St. S Manchester, CT 06040

Free will donations will be taken at the door.

November 9th, 2007, 8pm

St Isaac Jogues Church
1 Community St East Hartford, CT 06108

Free will donations will be taken at the door.

WESQ

The West End String Quartet came together in the fall of 2005 because of their shared passion for chamber music. Since that time the quartet has been entertaining audiences across New England with an exciting and varied repertoire of chamber music.