String Quartet No. 3 (2008)

Premiered in April 2009

Mixon Hall

Cleveland Institute of Music

Cleveland, Ohio

Iannis Quartet

Domenic Salerni and Ellen Cockerham, violins

Ayane Kozasa, viola

Josué González, cello

The overall concept of String Quartet No. 3 is the unfolding of an abstract object or musical idea. The introverted character of the opening music gradually evolves into that of an agitate struggle with itself as it is developed. Fortissimo strummed chords in the cello launch the violins to their high register, gradually dissipated the agitated character of the previous music to that of a suspended animation. In this new, placid, floating atmosphere, the opening musical idea unfolds with a feeling and calmness. The last section begins abruptly with a rhythmic canon in the violins, developing music from the opening, increasing the intensity before coming to a dramatic close.