STRING QUARTET EHTEL RETURNS
Beach Performance Scheduled
The Hermitage Artist Retreat is pleased to announce that the contemporary classical string quartet ETHEL will be back this month with a residency sponsored by Hermitage patron Ina Schnell. As part of the retreat’s community program requirement, ETHEL will present a FREE beach performance on Friday, March 11th on the Hermitage campus beachfront beginning at 5:30 pm. Visitors should bring their beach chairs and any refreshments. The program, which will include music by Hermitage composers as well as some new music by ETHEL, is planned for an hour, followed by Mother Nature’s sunset. If weather conditions or technical issues move the program indoors, it will be held next door in the Hermitage Palm House. Reservations are required indoors, as space in limited. Call 941-475-2098, ext. 8 or email [email protected]. No reservations are required for the beach.
“ETHEL is a rare ensemble of gifted, collaborative performers who compose their own work, as well as perform the work of others. The environment of the Hermitage is ideally suited to their creative practice,” remarked Hermitage Executive Director Bruce E. Rodgers. “Reserving time for a group of creators like ETHEL versus individual creators allows us to use the magic of the Hermitage in a new way, and ETHEL’s enthusiasm for sharing their work with our community will make for one of the most exciting evenings of the year.”
ETHEL has performed around the country, including twice in Sarasota. The group was founded in 1998 and is comprised of Ralph Farris (viola), Dorothy Lawson (cello), Kip Jones (violin), and Corin Lee (violin). They are known for their collaborations with many of the top composers working today, as well as other musicians and vocalists. The New York Times has called them “extraordinarily skilled, passionate musicians.” The San Diego Union-Tribune said “This relentlessly inventive string quartet is setting the standard for new music engagement.”
The solitude of the Hermitage is a welcome change for the group who seems to thrive in it’s quiet environment. They relish the opportunity to be together, uninterrupted, and make new music. The Hermitage’s enthusiastic audiences help them to try out new ideas, as well as present other work. In 2015, ETHEL preformed their community program to over 400 people on the beach. March 11th is expected to be no different. It is strongly recommended to make a reservation in case of a forced move to inside, and hope for a sunny outdoor event. The reservation line is 941-475-2098, ext. 8 or email [email protected].
The Hermitage is a not-for-profit artist retreat located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood, FL. It invites accomplished painters, sculptors, writers, playwrights, poets, composers and other artists from all over the world for residencies on its beachfront historic campus. Artists are asked to contribute two services to the community during their stay and as a result, Hermitage artists touch thousands of Gulf Coast community residents with unique and inspiring programs each year. All Hermitage community programs are partially sponsored by the Women’s Exchange and the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. In addition, the Hermitage awards and administers the prestigious Greenfield Prize, an annual $30,000 commission for a new work of art, rotating among three disciplines: visual art, music and drama. The Hermitage also partners with the Aspen Music Festival and School to award the annual Hermitage Prize to a composition student during the Festival. For more information about The Hermitage Artist Retreat, call 941-475-2098 or visit the website at www.HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
