CONTACT: Beth L. Lorow
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Office: (717) 691-6027
E-mail: blorow@messiah.edu

Messiah College Cultural Series to present Wihan Quartet

	Wihan Quartet Click on image to download print-quality version

GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 13, 2005) — The Messiah College Cultural Series will present the Wihan Quartet in concert on Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. in Hostetter Chapel, located on the college’s Grantham campus. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased by calling the Messiah College ticket office at (717) 691-6036.

Performance selections for this Cultural Series event include, “The Hunt” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Kreutzer Sonata” by Leos Janacek and “Rosamunde” by Franz Schubert.

Officially formed in 1985, the Wihan Quartet consists of two violins, a viola and a cello and is one of the elite string quartets of its generation. The Quartet has developed an impressive career through notable performances in Berlin, Vienna, London, Paris, Florence, Barcelona, Sydney, Tokyo, New York and other musical capitals of the world. A favorite of major radio stations, the Wihan Quartet has developed an outstanding reputation for the interpretation of its native Czech repertoire as well as the many classical, romantic and modern masterpieces of the broader string quartet repertoire.

The Wihan Quartet has been a prize-winner in various international competitions, including the International Competition of Chamber Music at Trapani in Sicily in 1990 and the Osaka Chamber Festa in 1996. Aside from their prize-winning performances, the Quartet has had more than 20 recordings that reflect their great love and respect for Czech music.

The Wihan Quartet’s work with school programs includes special events to help foster a love of chamber music among young people. The Quartet’s residency work includes a previous three-year term as Resident Quartet at Cranfield School of Management and an open-ended appointment as Visiting Quartet in Residence at Trinity College of Music in London, England.

The Cultural Series is a public five-part annual performance series sponsored by Messiah College. In addition to the Wihan Quartet, the remaining performances include “Winter Holiday Jazz” with David Leonhardt on Dec. 2, Czech Nonet on Feb. 17, and the Ensemble Amarcord on March 3. Tickets for individual events cost $20 each and a season subscription costs $85; call (717) 691-6036 for tickets.

Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls more than 2,900 undergraduate students in 50 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.

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ARTICLE DATE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2005
ARTICLE NUMBER: MC-110-05