UWM's Fine Arts Quartet Holds Free Performances

 In honor of the Fine Arts Quartet's 65th anniversary season, all Quartet concerts on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) campus during the 2010-11 season will be free and open to the public.The Fine Arts Quartet is one of the most distinguished ensembles in chamber music today, with an illustrious history of performing success and an extensive recording legacy.

Each season, the Fine Arts Quartet tours worldwide, with concerts in such musical centers as New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Moscow, Tokyo, Beijing, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Mexico City and Toronto. But every year they play at least eight concerts at the Peck School of the Art's Zelazo Center on the UWM campus.

Founded in Chicago in 1946, and based at UWM since 1963, the Quartet is one of the elite few to have recorded more than 200 works and toured internationally for over half a century. Three of the Quartet's current artists, violinists Ralph Evans and Efim Boico, and cellist Wolfgang Laufer, have been performing together for over 25 years. Violist Nicolò Eugelmi joined the Quartet in 2009.

"The members of the Fine Arts Quartet have appreciated the opportunity to participate in Milwaukee's cultural life for so many decades," said Mr. Evans. "Now we are delighted to be able to provide classical chamber music concerts at UWM for all to enjoy, for the first time without admission charge."

"By opening the concert hall doors, the Quartet is providing a very special public service to our community, making it possible for more people to experience the music so many of us have enjoyed for many years," says Peck School Dean Wade Hobgood. "We welcome members of the UWM community to invite their friends and family to join them for the concerts, right here on campus."

Also new this year and in honor of this special anniversary, Stephen Basson, former Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra principal bassoon, will host pre-concert talks beginning at 2 p.m. In addition, Saturday rehearsals will be open to the public on Sept. 11, Nov. 13, Feb. 5 and March 5 from 12-1 p.m.

In addition to their regular season dates, the Fine Arts Quartet will also play four Summer Evenings of Music concerts; dates TBD.

All regular season performances begin at 3 p.m. in the Helen Bader Concert Hall in the Helene Zelazo Center. Reserved seats are available and walk-ups are always welcome, too. To reserve seats, please call (414) 229-4308 or stop by the box office in the Zelazo Center at 2419 E. Kenwood Boulevard.  Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and one hour prior to performances. Short-term parking spaces are available for those purchasing tickets. On concert days, ample free parking is available in the Zelazo Center lot (to the south of the building) and in the UWM Union Parking Garage, 2200 East Kenwood Boulevard.

For more information about the Fine Arts Quartet, visit their site at www.fineartsquartet.org or www.arts.uwm.edu.

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