New England String Quartet

The New England String Quartet (NESQ) will perform a program of Brahms, Beethoven and Shostakovich on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Church, 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport, the second of three concerts in the 2013 Jean C. Wilson Music Series.
Currently ensemble-in-residence at Harvard University's Dudley House, NESQ is dedicated to expanding the contemporary chamber music tradition through performances, recordings, broadcasts, educational activities and community outreach projects. Its members are winners of numerous international competitions in the U.S. and abroad.
     NESQ has made numerous debut recordings of contemporary works on the PARMA label, including works by Alan Beeler, Michael Cunningham, Sarah Wallin-Huff, Larry Read, and Kyle Peter Rotolo. Among their recent world premieres are “Romance and Descent No.1” by Brian Buch, “Exquisitries” and “Light Excelleth Darkness” by Betsy Schramm, and “String Quartet No. 2” by Pasquale Tassone.
Having made their debut at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, the ensemble has been featured in concert series including “3rd Sundays @ 3,”“Menotomy,”“Bach’s Lunch,” and the “Chromatic Club of Boston,” and can be heard on “Quadrants: Modern String Quartets.”
The Jean C. Wilson Music Series is named for one of the founders and the director of the music series for 27 years. Now, under the auspices of the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Music Committee, the Music Series typically offers three concerts held during the first three months of the year.