Calvin Wiersma class on Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time”
Time & Location
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About the Masterclass
Join violinist and chamber music coach extraordinaire Calvin Wiersma for a special class on Olivier Messiaen’s seminal work, the “Quartet for the End of Time,” with ACMP member musicians Kenneth Margolis (clarinet), Yolanda Wu (violin), Ben Pfeifer (cello) and Walter Kennon (piano.)
Sunday, April 7, 3pm
In-person at Scholes Street Studio (Brooklyn) AND livestreamed
No reservations required
FREE ADMISSION (voluntary donations are gratefully accepted – cash at the door or online.)
The Quatour pour la Fin du Temps of the great French composer Olivier Messiaen is one of the most important pieces of 20th century chamber music. In addition to its towering musical scope, its unique instrumentation, musical style and rhythmic complexity present many technical challenges to the performer. Join Coach Calvin Wiersma and musicians Yolandu Wu, Ben Pfeifer, Walter Kennon and Kenneth Margolis as they use this work to share strategies for such issues as score reading, cueing, blending, formal study, and rehearsal technique – issues that are common to our work in all of our chamber music lives. The class will focus on two movements of the piece: the Liturgie de cristal and the Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes.
About coach Calvin Wiersma:
Calvin Wiersma, violinist, has appeared throughout the world as a soloist and chamber musician. He was a founding member of the Meliora Quartet, winner of the Naumburg, Fischoff, Coleman, and Cleveland Quartet competitions. Mr. Wiersma was a member of the Manhattan String Quartet for 20 years, and also a founding member of the Figaro Trio. In addition to worldwide touring with these ensembles, Mr. Wiersma’s wide range of musical activities have recently involved national and international tours with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and his contemporary music ensemble Cygnus. He has appeared at numerous Music Festivals including Aspen, Vancouver, Rockport, Bard, Portland, Crested Butte, North Country, Central Vermont, New Hope, Interlochen, An Appalachian Summer, Cape May, and Music Mountain.
A noted performer of contemporary music, Mr. Wiersma is a member of Cygnus and the Locrian Chamber Ensemble, has toured extensively with Steve Reich, and has appeared with Speculum Musicae, Ensemble 21, Parnassus, and NYNME.
Mr. Wiersma maintains an active private teaching studio, and he has also held academic teaching positions at the Ithaca College School of Music, Purchase College Conservatory of Music, Lawrence Conservatory of Music, Florida State University, Brandeis University, and the Longy School of Music. He has conducted master classes throughout the world, has been on the Faculties of several summer programs, and an artist in residence at numerous institutions including Colgate University, CalArts, the Smolny Institute in Moscow, Russia, and CMI in Khiryat Shemona, Israel.