CALL AND RESPONSE

OVERVIEW | 2013 PROGRAM | TICKETS | PREVIEW EVENTS | HISTORY
LESSON PLAN & LISTENING GUIDE (password protected; email Maggee for details)

Overview

For 14 years the Cypress String Quartet has presented the Call & Response program to expand chamber music repertoire and inspire all audiences’ imaginations. Each year the Cypress creates that link by commissioning a composer to ‘respond’ to the ‘call’ of chamber music repertoire or literature.

Following as many as two dozen or more educational outreach presentations before students of all levels and communities, the Cypress Quartet performs the Call & Response concert at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco’s War Memorial Building. Scholarship tickets permit participating students to attend the public performance free of charge.

Call & Response 2013

In 2010 the Cypress Quartet explored the connections between Music and Literature; Call & Response 2013 narrowed the focus to the influence of poetry in music. The program this season featured the World Premiere of a new work for String Quartet and Voice by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon, whose earlier String Quartet, Impressions, was commissioned by the Cypress for Call & Response 2003. Higdon’s latest is based on poetry of former American Poet Laureate, W.S. Merwin and carries the title “In the Shadow of Sirius.” The Cypress Quartet was joined onstage by soprano Christine Brandes for the performance.
Higdon’s new work was framed on the April 19th concert program at Herbst Theater by music by Dvorak – The Cypresses, 12 Moravian poems set by the Czech master as love songs for string quartet – and Schubert – his 13th Quartet, known as the Rosamunde.

Program Details

Dvorak The Cypresses
Jennifer Higdon In the Shadow of Sirius with Christine Brandes, soprano *World Premiere
Schubert String Quartet No.13 in A Minor, Rosamunde

Tickets

Call & Response 2013
April 19, 2013, 8:00pm
7:15pm Pre-concert Talk with composer Jennifer Higdon
Herbst Theatre
War Memorial Building
401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister Street

Call & Response 2013 Ticket Pricing
Preferred Seating $45 / Groups of 10 or more: $40
General Seating $40/$35 in advance / Groups of 10 or more: $30
Seniors $20 / Students $15

Public Preview Events

In 2013 the Cypress String Quartet shared its educational outreach program with adult audiences in public venues throughout the Bay Area. Hundreds joined us for one or more of these FREE preview events to learn more about the program, get a taste for our outreach activities, and get to know the Cypress members better in somewhat more intimate settings than we were to enjoy at Herbst on April 19th. Events included:
April 6, 11am-12pm – Community Music Center, San Francisco (544 Capp)
April 7, 2-3pm – San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium (100 Larkin)
April 11, 12:15-1:15pm – Berkeley Public Library (Kittredge at Shattuck)
April 14, 8-9pm – Classical Revolution @ Cafe Revolution (Bartlett at 22nd St., San Francisco)

History

Call & Response 2012

Call & Response 2012 The Masters: Tradition, Rebellion, and Innovation featured lyrical masterpieces by Haydn and Beethoven: Haydn’s Op.20 No.1 and Beethoven’s Opus 127. Known for his own incredibly lyrical music, Philippe Hersant answered the call of these ground-breaking works with a world premiere commissioned by the Cypress String Quartet. Hersant was the first international composer to participate in the Call & Response program. Read more about Philippe Hersant at www.philippehersant.com. Read a review of the world premiere at www.sfcv.org.

Teachers: View the 2012 Call & Response Lesson Plan and Listening Guide (password protected; email csq@cypressquartet.com for access)

Call & Response Commissioned Works

13 Years of Inspiration, and Counting

Information for Composers

The Cypress String Quartet continues to seek out talented composers living and working among us today for potential collaborations in future Call & Response programs or other commissioning opportunities.

If you would like to explore a commission with us please contact us at music@cypressquartet.com.