Residents of St. Thomas and St. John are in for a classical treat with performances on both islands by the Escher String Quartet, featuring pianist Terrence Wilson.
Formed in 2005 in New York, the Escher String Quartet takes its name from Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, inspired by Escher’s method of interplay between individual components working together to form a whole. A former BBC New Generation Artist, the quartet has performed at the BBC Proms at Cadogan Hall and is a regular guest at Wigmore Hall, London. In its hometown of New York, the ensemble serves as Season Artists of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, where it has recently performed quartet cycles of Beethoven and Zemlinsky.
In the fall of 2021, the quartet released its latest album, including the complete quartets of Charles Ives and Samuel Barber. Recordings of the complete Mendelssohn Quartets, Dvorak, Borodin, and Tchaikovsky received high critical acclaim. The quartet has also recorded on the Naxos label, the complete Zemlinsky String Quartets in two volumes received five stars in the Guardian with “Classical CD of the Year,” a recommendation in The Strad, “Recording of the Month” on MusicWeb International and a nomination for a BBC Music Magazine Award.
Acclaimed pianist Terrence Wilson joins the ensemble for these performances. Wilson has appeared as a soloist with orchestras from Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Washington, D.C. (National Symphony), San Francisco, St. Louis, Cleveland, Minnesota and Philadelphia as well as the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Abroad, Terrence Wilson has played with ensembles such as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland, the Malaysian Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He has toured with orchestras in the U.S. and abroad, including a tour with the Sofia Festival Orchestra from Bulgaria and in Europe with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov.
The group will perform tonight at the St. John School of the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at www.Stjohnschoolofthearts.org.
On Saturday, enjoy their performance at Antilles School’s Prior-Jollek Hall. Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for teachers and $5 for students. The courtyard will open at 7 p.m. for small meals, wine, beverages and desserts by Amalia Café, with the performance starting at 8 p.m. For more information, visit theforumusvi.org.
