URBANA — You can see the Jupiter String Quartet in concert Friday afternoon — virtually, of course — performing a piece commissioned in part by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Composer Michi Wiancko wrote the piece To Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores as a tribute “to the beauty and vitality of the natural world.”
After the 3:00pm concert, University of Illinois environmental sciences professor Daniel Miller will help moderate a conversation with the Jupiter Quartet and the composer about the music.
Brian Moline talks with U of I associate professor Daniel Miller and the Jupiter String Quartet.
Violinist Meg Freivogel says the quartet’s relationship with composer Michi Wiancko dates back many years.
“We’ve known Michi for a long time. Daniel (McDonough), Nelson (Lee) and I went to school with her in Cleveland at the Cleveland Institute of Music,” Freivogel said. “We’ve collaborated with her as a violinist as well, over our performing careers.”
Cellist Daniel McDonough says To Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores consists of seven short movements.
“Each movement tries to evoke a different natural world, and Michi was very adamant that the piece not be doom and gloom,” McDonough said. “She was really interested in having the audience be able to engage with climate change in a way that wasn’t reading a New York Times article that was depressing about the state of the world, that there was something we could do to reflect on how beautiful the world is.”
Environmental sciences professor Daniel Miller says his personal relationship with the Jupiter String Quartet piqued his interest in hosting an event along with the performance.
“We’re a small community here, and our children go to school together,” Miller said. “The Jupiter Quartet has done some other similar kinds of events reaching out beyond the music community.”
“We thought, ‘this is an environment, climate change themed piece. Why not do something similar?'”
Wiancko wrote this piece for the Jupiter String Quartet, and it was commissioned by Krannert Center and Bay Chamber Concerts. The Jupiter Quartet premiered the work virtually this summer for Bay Chamber Concerts.
Friday’s performance and conversation start at 3:00pm via Zoom webinar. You can find more information at krannertcenter.com.