Bay area musicians to play at three Colorado Mountain College locations
How did an all-female group of musicians and vocalists from San Francisco’s Bay Area end up shattering preconceived notions of string quartets, folk harmonies and world music?
Real Vocal String Quartet began with violinist Irene Sazer’s inspiration to combine her musical passions: chamber music, improvising, composing and singing. With violinist Alisa Rose, violist Dina Maccabee and cellist Jessica Ivry, Sazer’s vision sparked the creation of a truly collaborative ensemble that freely mixes and ultimately transcends genres.
RVSQ’s surprisingly broad repertoire embraces the diverse influences of all four players, from classical, jazz and rock, to songs and styles from West Africa, Brazil and rural America. Yet while four distinct voices can be heard, over seven years of performing together the quartet has achieved a true group sound.
Starting from the eclectic, musically sophisticated base of the San Francisco Bay Area, RVSQ has found a national audience since releasing their debut CD in 2010. Recent accomplishments include:
– Selection by the U.S. State Department to perform as musical ambassadors with the American Voices program, which will send RVSQ to five European countries for concerts and educational programs this fall
– Quartet residencies at the University of Delaware School of Music and Cal Poly Pomona
– Booking by nationally recognized presenters including San Francisco Performances, Folk Yeah, the University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music and Switchboard Festival
– Appearances on local and national television (including appearance with Canadian Grammy nominee Feist on “The Tonight Show”) and radio
– Press coverage in national publications including the Christian Science Monitor, Paste, Relix, Strings Magazine and The Strad
– Collaboration and/or recording credits with nationally recognized artists including Feist, Mirah, Beats Antique, Vetiver, Aaron Novik and Spencer Day.
RVSQ’s second album, produced by Lee Townsend, will be released in September.
RVSQ is: Irene Sazer, violin and voice, a founding member of the Turtle Island String Quartet; Alisa Rose, violin and voice; Dina Maccabee, viola and voice; and Jessica Ivry, cello and voice.
The 13th season of the Jim Calaway Honors Series of performances at Colorado Mountain College kicks off with the out-of-the-box Real Vocal String Quartet. The quartet will perform at three different campuses Sept. 12-14, from Spring Valley near Glenwood Springs, to Breckenridge, to Edwards. Each concert honors different supporters of the college.
The Real Vocal String Quartet will perform Wednesday, Sept. 12, in the New Space Theatre at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley, 3000 County Road 114. A dessert reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and the concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for full-time CMC students and children up to 17 years. Advance ticket sales are available at 947-8367. The concert will honor Rich and Holly Glasier.
The Real Vocal String Quartet will perform Thursday, Sept. 13, in the Eileen & Paul Finkel Auditorium at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge, near the intersection of Coyne Valley Road and Highway 9. A dessert reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and the concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for full-time CMC students and children up to 17 years. For advance tickets, call 1-800-621-8559 ext. 8367. The concert will honor Bob and Nancy Follett.
The Real Vocal String Quartet will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 14, at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards, 150 Miller Ranch Road. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for full-time CMC students and children up to 17 years. For advance tickets, call 1-800-621-8559 ext. 8367. The concert will honor Women in Philanthropy and HERO scholarship donors.