GREENVILLE, Pa.—Thiel College will host the Escher String Quartet as part of the College’s Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert series at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 27 at the David Johnson Memorial Chapel.
The performance is free and open to the public.
The Escher String Quartet was named a BBC New Generation Artist and recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant. The quartet has performed at the BBC Proms at Cadogan Hall and in its hometown of New York City, the ensemble serves as season artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
This season, the Escher Quartet has embarked upon a major project: the performance of the complete cycle of quartets by Bela Bartók, culminating in a single concert performance of all six at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center on March 10. The first-ever performance of all six Bartók quartets in chronological order was given by the Emerson String Quartet in March 1981 in honor of Bartók’s centenary year.
The Escher String Quartet is appearing at Thiel through an agreement with Arts Management Group, Inc. and has performances scheduled at illustrious music centers and through organizations in America, such as the Coleman Chamber Music Association in Pasadena, Calif., Phoenix Chamber Music Society and Savannah Music Festival, among others.
The Escher Quartet has made a distinctive impression throughout Europe, with recent debuts including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Berlin Konzerthaus, London’s Kings Place, Slovenian Philharmonic Hall, Les Grands Interprètes Geneva, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and Auditorium du Louvre. In 2021, the Escher’s recording of the complete quartets of Charles Ives and Samuel Barber was met with excitement. “A fascinating snapshot of American quartets, with a recording that is brilliantly detailed, this is a first-rate release all around,” according to Strad Magazine.
The Escher Quartet takes its name from the Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, inspired by Escher’s method of interplay between individual components working together to form a whole.
About the Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series
LaVonne (Corley) Johnson H’16 and her husband, Glen H’88, established the renowned Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series at Thiel College in the fall of 2007. The series presents concerts each year that feature top chamber music performers from around the world. The music series honors their late daughter, Lori (Johnson) Wallace. Wallace’s husband, Miles J. Wallace, serves as a Trustee on the Thiel College Board of Trustees.
LaVonne passed away in November 2023 at 91 after a brief hospitalization.
“LaVonne’s enduring legacy will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her, and her contributions to education, the arts, and community service will continue to inspire generations to come,” Thiel College President Susan Traverso, Ph.D. said. “Her unwavering support for Thiel has left an indelible mark. Her generosity and passion for positive change have enriched the lives of our students, faculty and staff as well as the community.”
Glen, who was chairman emeritus of the Thiel College Board of Trustees, and LaVonne were honored in 2012 with the William A. Passavant Distinguished Service Award, which is given to those who provide “meaningful, longtime service to the Lutheran Church and Lutheran Education, including continuity of leadership, exemplary character and impact on shaping the Lutheran tradition.”
Con Spirito concerts are performed in the David Johnson Memorial Chapel, dedicated in 2006 and named in honor of the Johnsons’ late son.
In 2017, the College began a new tradition of hosting the winners of The Fischoff Competition as part of the series. The Fischoff Competition is the largest chamber music competition in the nation and its longest consecutively running competition. Each year, an average of 125 ensembles, representing 22 nationalities, enter either the wind or string categories. Since its founding, more than 6,800 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.