PUBLIQuartet Pushes Boundaries for a New Look at Symphony

By Tyler Stup, SMTD Publicity Intern

With a commitment to genre-bending and independent minded creative programming, PUBLIQuartet is bringing their fresh take on string ensembles to Fort Collins. Currently serving as the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s quartet-in-residence, the four will be playing as a part of the Classical Convergence Concert Series, brought to you in partnership with the Fort Collins Lincoln Center.

Constituted of Curtis Stewart, Jannina Norpoth, Nick Revel, and Amanda Gookin, the group seeks to bring classical canon, contemporary works, and open-form improvisation to the stage. And as a part of their PUBLIQ Access initiative, each of their performances is guaranteed to include one original composition from an up-and-coming composer. In the past, the group has embraced music from classical, jazz, and electronic, to world, and improvised music compositions. PUBLIQuartet’s debut album features selected work from 250 original submissions sent in by musicians across the country.

When they aren’t shining a spotlight on under-represented artists, the group’s repertoire includes classical greats like Stravinsky, contemporary faces like Caroline Shaw, and improvisations on music from Thelonious Monk and others.

Founded in 2010, PUBLIQuartet won the 2013 Sylvia Ann Hewlett Adventurous Artist Prize and the Chamber Music America’s 2015 ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award for outstanding and innovative approaches to quartet music. PUBLIQuartet performs at Griffin Concert Hall on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at lctix.com.