The Isidore String Quartet made a memorable debut at Mahaney Arts Center’s Olin C. Robison Concert Hall on March 28. The ensemble, comprising violinists Adrian Steele and Phoenix Avalon, violist Devin Moore, and cellist Joshua McClendon, presented a program with works by Mozart, Billy Childs and Beethoven. The concert was organized by the Sunderman Family Concert Endowment Fund, which ensured free admission for all attendees.
The Isidore String Quartet is known for its fresh approach to the string quartet repertoire. Formed in 2019 in New York City, the quartet has rapidly gained acclaim, winning the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in August 2022.
“I had the distinct pleasure of being present when they won the competition, and the audience was certainly amazed by them all week long,” said Allison Coyne Carroll, director of the Middlebury Performing Arts series. “This is the start of a relationship with the Isidore Quartet, as we'll be welcoming the Quartet back next season for a Music Accord Commission performance, the world premiere of a new Billy Child's work.”
The evening started with Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465, known as the “Dissonance” quartet. A work dedicated to Haydn, this is one of Mozart’s boldest pieces, as it contains many unsettling dissonances. The quartet's interpretation highlighted the piece’s intricate harmonies and dynamic contrasts, beginning the night on a strong note.
The second piece was the highlight of the evening: “String Quartet No. 3 ‘Unrequited’” by six-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Billy Childs. The work, inspired by the unrequited love of Czech composer Leoš Janáček for Kamila Stösslová, is a five-movement journey through a variety of emotions — from romantic, pure love, to paranoid, obsessive, neurotic possessiveness to despondent acceptance.
“We not only had the privilege of working on Billy’s music, but getting to know him as a real-life person,” violist Devin Moore said. “It is such a joy to be able to ask questions, to be able to know what he’s like. It informs the way we interpret his music.”
He proceeded to read a note of Billy Childs’ which detailed the story behind the composition.
“I wanted to illustrate my perspective on this strange relationship between Janáček and Kamila Stösslová by telling the story of a man who goes through different phases of emotion before finally coming to terms with the fact that his love for her is one sided. I sought to compose unrequitedly so that it moves like the five stages of grief through a variety of emotions,” Moore read out loud.
Moore said that Childs’ compositions are special because he combines multiple elements of classical and jazz music that forms his own unique voice.
The concert concluded with Beethoven's String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127. Written during Beethoven’s final creative period, the piece is notable for its grandeur, emotional depth and innovative structure. The quartet delivered a performance that balanced the work’s architectural brilliance with its lyrical tenderness, showcasing their technical prowess and interpretative insight. The finale of this piece was particularly notable, featuring a “fake ending” where the music paused and teased a conclusion, leaving the audience in laughter.
With their dynamic interpretations and compelling stage presence, the Isidore String Quartet’s Middlebury debut was a resounding success, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating their return next season.
