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School of Music

  • Parker Quartet

    Parker Quartet

    USC Quartet-in-Residence

  • Master Class with Parker Quartet

    USC Quartet-in-Residence

    Master class with the Parker Quartet

  • Master Class with Parker Quartet

    USC Quartet-in-Residence

    Master class with the Parker Quartet

Parker Quartet Chamber Music Residency

The USC School of Music's Quartet-in-Residence with the world-renowned Parker Quartet brings a series of public concerts, master classes, community outreach and special opportunities for chamber music enthusiasts each fall and spring.

2017 Fall Residency

November 8-12, 2017

Parker Quartet Concert

Thursday, November 9 - 7:30 p.m.
School of Music Recital Hall
Adults $15; Students $5; Seniors/Military/USC Faculty & Staff $10; School of Music free
Purchase tickets here.
The program:
Mozart - Quartet in B-flat major, K. 589
Ligeti - Quartet No. 1 “Metamorphoses nocturnes”
Sibelius - Quartet in D minor, Op. 56, “Voces intimae”

Master Classes

Individual Instrument Master Classes
Fri., Nov. 10, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Violin: Room  210
Violin: Room 214
Viola: Room 201
Cello: Room 040

Chamber Music Master Class
Fri., Nov. 10, 7:00–9:00 p.m.

Free Family Concert

Sun., Nov. 12 - 5:00 p.m.
Johnson Performance Hall, Darla Moore School of Business, level 1
The program:
Stravinsky - Concertino
Stravinsky - Three Pieces for String Quartet
Brahms - Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 with Joseph Eller, clarinet

2018 Spring Residency

April 12-16, 2018

Parker Quartet Concert
Thursday, April 12 - 7:30 p.m.
School of Music Recital Hall
The program:
Mendelssohn - String Quartet, Op. 44, No. 2
Bartók - Quartet No. 6
Purchase tickets here.

Fri, April 13, 7:00 p.m.
Parker Quartet Master Class
Johnson Performance Hall, Darla Moore School of Business, level 1 - Free
The Parker Quartet, USC's Quartet-in-Residence, are renowned for their dynamic, compelling interpretations, expansive colors, and varied repertoire ranging from classical to romantic to new music. The group has rapidly distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation. Master classes are free and open to the public to observe.

Free Family Concert
Sunday, April 15 - 5:00 p.m.
Johnson Performance Hall, Darla Moore School of Business, level 1
School of Music faculty William Terwilliger and Ari Streisfeld, violins; Daniel Sweaney, viola; and Robert Jesselson, cello, perform with the Parker Quartet on the Mendelssohn Octet.
The program:
Mozart - Quartet in G Major, K.156
Mendelssohn - Octet, Op. 20

Chamber Music Day and High School String Quartet Competition

Saturday, April 14, 2018
3:15-5:30 p.m. Master Classes
USC School of Music Recital Hall and Room 006

Competition Performance - 7:30 p.m. in Johnson Performance Hall, Darla Moore School of Business
Apply by Feb. 15, 2018
Advanced high school string quartets have a unique opportunity to work with the world-renowned Parker Quartet. The Quartet mentors pre-formed student string quartets through intensive coachings and master classes throughout the day, leading to a performance and competition in the evening. Coaches are members of the Parker Quartet and the USC School of Music string faculty.

Inspiring performances, luminous sound and exceptional musicianship are the hallmarks of the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet (Daniel Chong and Ken Hamao, violins; Jessica Bodner, viola, Kee-Hyun Kim, cello).

Renowned for their dynamic, compelling interpretations, expansive colors, and varied repertoire ranging from classical to romantic to new music, the group has rapidly distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation.

In demand worldwide, the quartet has appeared at distinguished venues, series and festivals throughout North and South America, Great Britain, Europe and South Korea since its founding in 2002.

Founded and currently based in Boston, the Parker Quartet’s numerous honors include winning the Concert Artists Guild Competition, the Grand Prix and Mozart Prize at France’s Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, and Chamber Music America’s prestigious biennial Cleveland Quartet Award.

Now Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music, as well as in residence at USC School of Music, the Quartet’s numerous residencies have included serving as Artists-in-Residence at the University of St. Thomas, Quartet-in-Residence artists at the University of Minnesota, Quartet-in-Residence with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and as the first-ever Artists-in-Residence with Minnesota Public Radio (2009-2010).

This Residency Partnership Program is supported by the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund. A grant from the provost office brought them to USC for the first residency year and subsequent years have been supported with donations, including an anonymous $100,000 challenge gift to create a permanent endowment for the string quartet residency.

For more information about the Parker Quartet, visit their website.