Grammy-Award Winning ETHEL String Quartet to Bring Spirited Strings To Morris Museum in July

In their first Back Deck appearance since 2021, the string quartet Ethel Will bring their particular brand of contemporary music to Morris Museum on July 18. Founded in New York City in 1998, ETHEL has created a style of string music all their own. ETHEL redefines what the average audience expects from a string quartet with energetic, exciting performances that take chamber music to new heights of storytelling. A longtime staple at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this Grammy-Award winning ensemble has a reputation for delighting lovers of rock and classical music alike.

With Ralph Farris on viola, Kip Jones and Corin Lee on violin and Dorothy Lawson on cello, ETHEL has spread their message of community and creativity for 25 years with unique collaborations, commissions and performances. Ethel has premiered over 250 works and has been commissioned by The Ringling Museum of Art, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Georgia Tech and the NEA. Celebrated collaborators include David Byrne, Stewart Copeland and Raven Chacon. Recent and upcoming appearances include the Kennedy Center, Charleston Literary Festival and Dumbarton Oaks. Recently, ETHEL performed the fifth chapter of their HomeBaked project, a series of concerts which features music from emerging composers, ensuring ETHEL is always on the cutting edge of contemporary music.

Although the Back Deck Concert Series was conceived to bring patrons live music through the pandemic, it has since become a local staple, bringing the best ensembles right into Morristown's backyard. Throughout the summer, patrons will have the opportunity to enjoy ten concerts alongside beautiful sunsets.

Back Deck 2023 Schedule

Don Braden Big Band and Quartet || June 29 at 7:30 PM

Martin Pizzarelli and Friends || July 13 at 7:30 PM

Ethel || July 18 at 7:30

Dover Quartet || July 22 at 7:30

Amani || July 27 at 7:30 PM

Black Oak Ensemble || August 3 at 7:30 PM

Evan Sherman Big Band || August 10 at 7:30

Alla Boara || August 19 at 7:30 PM

Galvin Cello Quartet || August 26 at 7:30

For tickets and information: morrismuseum.org/outdoor-concerts

Leadership support for the Lot of Strings Concert Series is provided by Will and Mary Leland.

Support for the Back Deck Concert Series is provided by Morris County Tourism Bureau, a Division of the Morris County Economic Development Alliance. The Morris County Economic Development Alliance & Morris County Tourism Bureau receives operating support from the County of Morris and the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the NJ Department of State. The MCEDA & Morris County Tourism Bureau receives funding through a grant from NJ Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.

Back Deck Visitor Information and Guidelines

Attendees must bring their own chairs and are welcome to bring refreshments to enjoy the live music atop the Morris Museum's elevated parking deck. Tickets are $50 for an 8'x8' block that accommodates up to two patrons or $25 for a block that accommodates one patron. Concerts begin at 7:30 PM but patrons are welcome to arrive as early as 5:00 PM to enjoy their picnics. In the event of inclement weather, outdoor performances will be held inside the Museum's Bickford Theatre. For assistance and to make purchases by phone, call the box office at 973-971-3706. The Morris Museum has adopted a dynamic mask policy for upcoming events inside the Bickford Theatre. Face masks are currently optional in the CENTER and HOUSE RIGHT sections and are required in the HOUSE LEFT section. This policy is subject to change at any time.

About the Morris Museum

Founded in 1913, the Morris Museum is an award-winning, multifaceted arts and cultural institution serving the public through its exhibitions and performances, which strive to interpret the past and discover the future through art, sound, and motion. The Museum is home to the historic and internationally significant Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata. The Museum's Bickford Theatre is a 312-seat performing-arts facility, offering unique programming in film, jazz, and live performance through its innovative series, Live Arts. As New Jersey's only Smithsonian Affiliate, it launched Spark!Lab, a dynamic, Smithsonian-created learning space which will inspire young visitors to create, collaborate, and innovate.

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