The Altius Quartet was formed in 2011 by SMU students and have quickly become one of the most exciting ensemble in the U.S. They have received numerous awards, including the Silver Medal at the 2014 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in South Bend, IN, and First Prize at both the 2014 Coltman Chamber Music Competition in Austin, TX and the 2013 Plowman Chamber Music Competition in Columbia, MO.
On Friday, May 29th at 8pm, the general public of FRISCO is invited to attend the home of Bill and Mara LaViola in a wonderful setting for an acoustic concert. A large open living room filled with music and excellent food prepared by Kelly Ball of Naturally Curly Cook. Wine for adults is provided without charge. Tickets are $15 ($10 students) and dinner of heavy appetizers available for $15 adults and $10 for students.
Currently, the Altius Quartet is the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado-Boulder where they are mentored by the Takács String Quartet.
We are thrilled that they are stopping by Frisco as one of several concerts in a week-long DFW tour before they head to the 2015 Melbourne Chamber Music Competition. They bring an energetic performance style and friendly audience interaction, the group also peppers their moving classical performances with original arrangements of popular tunes from AHA’s “Take On Me” to Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.” This is definitely a performing arts event not to miss!
I got to ask the jovial young men a few questions, and as you can see from their answers, they not only have abundant talent, but a fair slice of humor making them one of my most enjoyable interviews this year…
Lifestyle Frisco: What’s next on the horizon for the Altius Quartet?
Altius Quartet: We are about to start a very exciting summer! First off, our cellist, Zack, is getting married very soon. (We are all groomsmen!) Then, we’ll be at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival in Detroit, MI where we will work with the Emerson Quartet. Then we fly from Detroit to Melbourne, Australia where we are 1 of 8 string quartets to be participating in the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.
LF: What advice do you have for young aspiring musicians?
AQ: Put yourself out there! Meet people, play for anyone who will hear you, and don’t be complacent about how you sound today. Always hold yourself to a higher standard than you think is “enough.”
LF: What’s your favorite virtue?
AQ: Patience isn’t necessarily our favorite virtue, but it’s certainly one of the most important for our success. If we’re talking fantasy football, then that’s a very different matter.
LF: What’s your favorite vice?
AQ: We’re all beer snobs… Conveniently, we live in Colorado, which is beer country. So, we love trying unique and delicious brews from the great breweries around Boulder and CO. We even put on our own show recently at a brewery where we paired our music selections with specific beers on tap.
LF: What’s your idea of happiness?
AQ: Doing what you want to do with the people you want to be doing it with in the place you want to be. Also, run-on sentences…
LF: If not you, who would you be?
AQ: The Beatles, obviously.
LF: Motto you live by…
AQ: “Suck less.” Got that one from a mentor of ours who will remain nameless.
JOIN us at this night-to-remember event supporting these artists who are clearly headed for greatness.