Miró Quartet to open 2015-16 UB concert season

The Miró Quartet, which performed the entire Slee/Beethoven String Quartet Cycle at UB last season, returns to Slee Concert Hall next week with two all-Schubert programs to open the Department of Music’s 2015-16 concert schedule.

The performances on Sept. 18 and Sept. 19 — both at 7:30 p.m. in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall on the North Campus — comprise the opening concerts in this season’s Slee/Visiting Artist Series.

The all-Schubert program on Sept. 18 features Quartettsatz in C Minor, D. 703; “Quartettsatz” Quartet in E Major, D. 353 (Op. 125, No. 2); and Quartet in D Minor, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden.” On Sept. 19, the quartet will perform Schubert’s String Quartet in A Minor, D. 804, “Rosamunde” and String Quartet in G Major, Op. 161, D. 887.

The Austin, Texas-based Miró Quartet, whose moniker was inspired by the highly imaginative works of Spanish surrealist Joan Miró, is one of America’s highest-profile chamber groups.

Immediately after forming in 1995, the Miró took first prizes at several national and international competitions, including the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Competition.

In 2005, the Miró became the first ensemble ever to be awarded the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant.

The quartet — featuring Daniel Ching and William Fedkenheuer, violin; John Largess, viola; and Joshua Gindele, cello — currently serves as the Faculty String Quartet-in-Residence at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music at the University of Texas, Austin.

Tickets for the Miró Quartet’s performances are $15 for the general public; $10 for UB faculty, staff and alumni, senior citizens and non-UB students; and free for UB students with valid ID. Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Center for the Arts box office, and one hour ahead of concert time at the Slee Hall box office.

To open the 2015-16 concert season, the Department of Music is running a special ticket promotion from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the Slee box office, with patrons receiving one complimentary ticket for every ticket purchased at full price. The complimentary ticket does not need to be for the same event. 

Special 15-minute parking is available in Coventry Loop between the designated signs for those purchasing tickets during this promotion.

This promotion will be repeated on Jan. 29.