Manhattan String Quartet

Hailed by Michael Steinberg of the Boston Globe as “a national treasure”, The Manhattan Quartet has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America.

Well known for their performances of 20th-century “classics”, the Manhattan String Quartet has established a significant international reputation as today’s pre-eminent interpreter of the
fifteen string quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich. They presented the cycle last fall in Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan in addition to several complete cycle performances in the United States including in New York City. The ensemble’s benchmark transversal
of the Shostakovich cycle was the only chamber music recording to make TIME Magazine’s “Best of 1991” classical music list.

Described by The Boston Globe as "a national treasure," the Manhattan String Quartet has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America. After a series of concerts in Moscow and Leningrad in the fall of 1985, the MSQ became the first American classical ensemble to give a full tour of the Soviet Union under that era's new cultural agreement. The first sold-out series of performances in 1986 was followed by an equally successful tour in 1989. The Manhattan String Quartet also had the honor of hosting the Taneyev String Quartet for its United States debut in 1987.

The group has been Quartet-in-Residence at Colgate University for the past sixteen years, and has also held similar posts at the Manhattan School of Music, Cornell University, Grinnell College, Western Connecticut State University, the Chamber Music Institute in Racine, Wisconsin and Michigan’s Interlochen National Music Camp (for 21 summers). The Quartet’s teaching activities also include its own annual KentMusic String Quartet Conference in June, and annual European conferences focusing on major works in the string quartet repertoire hosted in the cities where these pieces were composed.

Well known for their performances of 20^th-century “classics”, the Manhattan String Quartet has established a significant international reputation as today’s pre-eminent interpreter of the fifteen string quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich. Recent performances of this complete cycle have been presented in New York City at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Town Hall and the Kaye Playhouse of Hunter College; in Paris on French National Radio; at the International Shostakovich Festival in Troy, NY; and in college and university settings throughout the United States.

Adding to a large LP discography, the Manhattan String Quartet has recorded a number of works on compact discs. In addition to their 6-CD Shostakovich set, other releases include a Mozart/Beethoven pairing of live concert recordings on MSQ Enterprises; Schubert's Quartets Nos. 14 & 15 ("Death and the Maiden") on two Centaur CDs; "Adagio for Strings" on Newport Classic, featuring Dvorak's "American Quartet” and popular encores by Turina, Wolf, Puccini, Kern, Gershwin and Barber; Carl Maria von Weber's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings with clarinetist Jon Manasse on XLNT; and a KOCH International CD with flutist Doriot Anthony Dwyer, featuring works by William Bergsma, Amy Beach, and Donald Francis Tovey.

--- REVIEWS AND CRITICAL ACCLAIM ---

"The Manhattan String Quartet understands precisely what must be done to communicate the composer’s message. Propulsive energy, hair-trigger precision, balanced perspectives, keen sensitivity to shifting moods - chamber music performance doesn’t come much better than this"
(New York Times)

"The Manhattan String Quartet blends understanding, cohesion and sharpness to convey the breadth and brilliance of these involving works"
(TIME Magazine)

"a memorable musical experience" (Parade Magazine)

"passionate and ultimately exhilarating" (The Washington Times)

"these players respond with wicked glee and terrific rhythmic snap" (Los Angeles Times)


Return to top	ERIC LEWIS, violinist, was born in New York City and received his early training at the Manhattan School of Music where he received Bachelor and master performance degrees, studying with Rachmael Weinstock, the first violinist of the 1930’s version of the Manhattan String Quartet. The urging of his chamber music coaches, Weinstock and Lillian Fuchs, launched his concertizing career with the formation of the new Manhattan String Quartet in 1968 as the resident ensemble of The Manhattan School of Music. Since then the quartet, with Mr. Lewis as its first violinist, has become well-known as a premier touring and recording ensemble to classical music lovers all over the world – in North and South America, Europe, Russia and China. Critically acclaimed recordings of his performances with the quartet are available on Musical Heritage Society, Centaur, Newport Classics KOCH International, ESS.A.Y and SONY. In recent years, Mr. Lewis has broadened his performing as a chamber music artist, soloist, and conductor with the formation of several innovative ensembles such as PVP, a contemporary music trio with Percussion, Violin, and Piano; Prometheus, a piano quartet; Delphi, a soprano and violin duo; and the Camerata Chamber Orchestra, which he conducts and performs as violin soloist. His recent solo violin recitals have featured a series of concerts dedicated to the ten violin/piano Sonatas of Beethoven. As Professor of Music and Director of Chamber Music and Orchestral Studies at Western Connecticut State University, Mr. Lewis also maintains a busy teaching schedule, coaching young professional chamber ensembles wherever he travels and training young violinists for performing careers. He has a major commitment to young people’s concerts and has given over 1,000 concerts especially for children.
Return to top	CALVIN WIERSMA, violinist, has appeared throughout the world as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed numerous solo recitals, including appearances in Boston, New York, and Chicago, and has appeared with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, The Concerto Company of Boston, and the Lawrence Symphony, among others. In addition to his current membership with the Manhattan String Quartet, he was a founding member of the Meliora Quartet, winner of the Naumberg, Fischoff, Coleman, and Cleveland Quartet competitions, and the Quartet-in-Residence of the Spoleto Festivals of the United States, Italy, and Australia, and was also a founding member of the Figaro Trio. In addition to his worldwide touring with the MSQ, Mr. Wiersma has been heard at numerous summer chamber music festivals including the Aspen Music Festival and the Vancouver, Rockport, Bard, Portland, Crested Butte, North Country, Central Vermont, New Hope, Interlochen, Prairie School, An Appalachian Summer, Cape May, and Music Mountain Festivals to name but a few. Former member of New York Philomusica, and frequent performer at Bargemusic, he has also performed with the Da Camera Society of Houston, the Sea Cliff Chamber Players, The Festival Chamber Music Society, The Chamber Music Society of New Hope, the Carnegie Chamber Players, and Close Encounters with Music. Mr. Wiersma's wide range of musical activities have recently included an international tour soloing with Kathleen Battle, national and international tours with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, appearances at the Berkshire Bach Festival performing the complete Brandenburg concertos, and concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with flutist Paula Robison. His recently completed recordings include Jacob Druckman's Third String Quartet for Philomusica, a recording of Elliott Carter's Syringa, Swan Song by Milton Babbitt, a recording of chamber music of Nils Vigeland, and an album of Chamber Music of Stephen Foster with Ms. Robison for Telarc. A noted performer of contemporary music, Mr. Wiersma is a member of Cygnus, the Lochrian Chamber Ensemble, and the Ensemble Sospeso, and has appeared with Speculum Musicae, Ensemble 21, Parnassus, and the New York New Music Ensemble. He has recently completed European tours with Steve Reich and Ensemble 21, and has been featured in solo performances for the International League of Composers of Music. Mr. Wiersma was the creator of the music program and served as the first Music Department Chair at the Bard High School Early College, an innovative New York City Public School for gifted students, and has been a music education coordinator for the American Symphony Orchestra. An active teacher as well as performer, Mr. Wiersma is an Assistant Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at the Purchase Conservatory of Music, and has been on the faculties of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music, Florida State University, Brandeis University, the New England Conservatory, and the Longy School of Music. He has conducted clinics and master classes throughout the world, and has been an artist in residence at numerous institutions, including Middlebury College, Colgate University, the California Summer Arts Program, the Smolny Institute in Moscow, Russia, and the Institute for Chamber Music in Khiryat Shemona, Israel.
Return to top	JOHN DEXTER, violist, was born into a family of professional musicians who at an early age recruited him for the family quartet. His musical training began in Des Moines, Iowa where he received his first performance degree at Drake University. He then traveled to New York City via a short army stay in the West Point Quartet to study at the Juilliard School with such luminaries as Dorothy Delay and Lillian Fuchs. Performing in a string quartet from his earliest years proved a powerful force on his performance career and he began his concertizing with the Madison String Quartet. During the time he served as their violist from 1973-1979, Mr. Dexter was a member of the Colgate University and Hamilton College faculties; performed extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe; and made several recordings of contemporary music. Since joining the Manhattan String Quartet in 1980, Mr. Dexter has made twenty critically acclaimed recordings; given Music Mountain radio broadcasts to millions; presented three Shostokovich cycles in New York City and on French radio. His touring with the quartet has taken him to North and South America, to Europe and on three historic tours of the former Soviet Union during the Glasnost era. Mr. Dexter is constantly expanding his activities as soloist with orchestra and guest artist with other chamber groups. His recording of Anthony Newman’s Viola Concerto on Newport Classics has been accorded high praise by the critics for his virtuosity and musical poetry. As Principal Violist he has performed with the New York City Opera Orchestra, Philharmonia Virtuosi, the Joffrey Ballet in New York City, the American Symphony Orchestra, the American Composers Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Mr. Dexter maintains a very active teaching schedule with a large private studio for individual lessons and chamber music coaching.
Return to top	CHRIS FINCKEL - Born into a family of cellists, Chris Finckel began his studies with his father George Finckel and is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Mischa Schneider and Orlando Cole. Currently Mr. Finckel is the cellist of the Manhattan String Quartet with whom he performs on major Chamber Music series throughout the United States and Europe. A frequent guest artist with such renowned ensembles as the Tokyo String Quartet and the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, Mr. Finckel has appeared at the Casals, Santa Fe, Ravinia, Saratoga, Norfolk and Rockport Chamber Music festivals, and has recorded for the Nonesuch, New World, CRI, Bridge and Vanguard record labels. A dedicated performer of 20^th century music, Chris Finckel has been involved in New York City’s contemporary music scene for over 20 years. Through his affiliations with such organizations as the New York New Music Ensemble, Parnassus, The Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and Speculum Musicae. He has participated in the premieres of the works of over 100 composers including pieces by Milton Babbitt, Jacob Druckman, Elliot Carter, Mario Davidovsky, Donald Martino, Steve Reich and Charles Wuorinen.