Szymanowski Quartet to Perform at Thiel College

Performance part of Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series

Oct. 26, 2009

GREENVILLE, PA – Thiel College presents the Szymanowski Quartet in concert at the David Johnson Memorial Chapel on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Founded in Warsaw in 1995, the Szymanowski Quartet has developed into one of the most exceptional international string quartets of its generation. Their sophisticated programs present a perfect balance between intellect and passion, characteristics with which the Szymanowski Quartet captivates its audiences at prestigious festivals and concert halls in Europe, the United States, Asia, Australia and South America. The Quartet has received numerous prizes and awards, including the “Szymanowski Award” of the Karol Szymanowski Foundation in Warsaw, the only time ever given to a string quartet. In 2007 they were awarded the Medal of Honor by the Polish government for their service to Polish culture. The Szymanowski Quartet studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover with their teacher and mentor, Hatto Beyerle. Since 2000, they have been “Quartet in Residence” at Musikhochschule Hanover.

The group’s members include Andrej Bielow, violin; Grzegorz Kotów, violin; Vladimir Mykytka, viola and Marcin Sieniawski, cello.

The concert includes music by Joseph Haydn, Karol Szymanowski and Felix Mendelssohn.

The Szymanowski Quartet is the fifth concert of Thiel’s Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series, which began in fall 2007. Con Spirito presents concerts each year, featuring top chamber music groups from across the country. The series was created in honor of the late daughter of Dr. Glen Johnson H’88, Thiel College Board of Trustees chairman emeritus, and his wife, LaVonne, both generous friends of the college. The home of the Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series is the David Johnson Memorial Chapel, dedicated in 2006 and named in honor of the Johnsons’ late son.

For more information about the concert, please contact the Thiel College Office of Special Events at 724-589-2240.

About Thiel College

Founded in 1866, Thiel College is a liberal arts, sciences and professional studies institution located in Greenville, Pa., that provides a great balance of academic challenge, personal and social involvement, and exceptional value to its 1,000 students. For more information about Thiel College, which is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, visit www.thiel.edu or call 800-24-THIEL.

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