South Pasadena’s Restoration Concert, November 19 at 4:00 pm

The concert in the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room, will feature Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D Major op. 11. Cellist Brian Schuldt and Violist Meredith Crawford will join the New Hollywood String Quartet for Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) op. 4 for String Sextet.

By News Desk

The New Hollywood String Quartet had its debut concert in Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2001 and has been performing to critical acclaim ever since. Inspired by the great Hollywood String Quartet from over half a century ago, the current members of the NHSQ are likewise premiere performers of their generation. The quartet members are Tereza Stanislav – violin, Rafael Rishik -violin, Robert Brophy – viola, and Andrew Shulman – cello. Its members reside in Los Angeles and have recorded hundreds of film scores, and are members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. The NHSQ was featured on the Grammy Nominated Disc, “Passing Through” performing Gernot Wolfgang’s “String Theory” for String Quartet. Their most recent recording was for Jeff Beal’s newest album, The Paper Lined Shack -‘Things Unseen’ for String Quartet.

Players

In chamber, solo, orchestral and recording projects, Tereza Stanislav has been hailed for her “expressive beauty and wonderful intensity” (Robert Mann) of her playing, and for her “sure technique and musical intelligence” (Calgary Herald). Ms. Stanislav was the featured soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in the world premiere of the Violin Concerto by Benjamin Wallfisch.

Chamber Music has always been a big part of Rafael Rishik’s musical life. He spent several years performing with the Camerata Pacifica and is a founding member of the New Hollywood String Quartet.  “Compelling Artistry…” is how the Jerusalem Post described Mr. Rishik’s violin playing.

Robert Brophy can be seen and heard playing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Opera, and many West Coast chamber music series. He is featured with Nigel Kennedy in a quartet for Kennedy’s new release Greatest Hits on the EMI label and has performed alongside Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Michel Dalberto, and Dmitri Sitkovetsky. He won the viola audition with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in December 2011.

Andrew Shulman, Principal Cellist with LACO and a faculty member at USC, was the first British winner of the Piatigorsky Award and was made an Honorary RCM by The Queen Mother. The Los Angeles Times declares that his playing is “always eloquent and passionate”.

As a founding member of the Felici Piano Trio, Brian Schuldt has performed hundreds of critically acclaimed concerts in the U.S., Europe, and South America. His chamber music collaborations include renowned artists such as Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Edward Auer, Atar Arad, Corey Cerovsek, Hagai Shaham, and Eli Eban. He has served as guest Principal Cellist for the Fresno Philharmonic and Reno Chamber Orchestra. He is currently Executive Director of Chamber Music Unbound and conductor of the Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra. Brian plays a cello by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume.

Meredith Crawford is a Los Angeles-based violist who values the variety and vibrancy in her career that LA has to offer. At the age of 22 – before the completion of her senior year at Oberlin Conservatory – she won her first orchestral audition and a seat with Pacific Symphony. She subsequently moved up the ranks in her section, winning the Assistant Principal Chair in 2012, followed by the Principal Chair – her current position – in 2018. She performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for the opening of Pacific’s 2018-19 season with concertmaster Dennis Kim, garnering rave reviews. Crawford is an avid chamber musician and is the resident violist of the Salastina Society, one of LA’s most innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking musical organizations.

The Restoration Concerts Committee, a committee of the non-profit organization, The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, has a goal to bring world-class music at an affordable price to the concertgoers in South Pasadena and surrounding communities. As the name suggests, net proceeds from the concerts provide for restorations, enhancements, and other benefits to the South Pasadena Library and Community Room.

> For more information about Restoration Concerts, contact restorationconcerts@gmail.com or go to friendsofsopaslibrary.org/restoration-concerts.