Every time the ensemble known as Viridian Strings performs in northern Michigan, they have a slightly different configuration.
Founded by Interlochen Arts Academy alumni and northern Michigan natives Joe Skerik (viola) and Kyle Stachnik (cello), Viridian Strings gathers every summer to present chamber music in venues around the region.
Each summer, Skerik and Stachnik invite their good friends to join them in northern Michigan for a few days.
It's a vacation as well as a chance to play chamber music together.
This weekend marks the first time that Viridian Strings has brought a piano into the mix.
"It was time," Skerik said. "It had been too many years without exploring the amazing chamber music repertoire that involves the piano."
Skerik and Stachnik will perform with pianist Umi Garrett and violinist Nathan Meltzer in a program of piano quartets by Mozart, Turina and Dvorak.
Umi Garrett is the first pianist ever to perform with Viridian Strings, and Skerik said as soon as he heard her play during the Ravinia Festival last year, he knew she was the right person to ask to join them.
"I was blown away," Skerik said. "She's a tour de force pianist, and I knew she'd be the perfect person to have to start piano chamber music here in Viridian."
Although Garrett hadn't met Skerik before, they have mutual friends and knew each other by reputation, so she said yes to the invitation.
"It's great to share music and spend time with friends," Garrett said of this week with Viridian Strings. "It's like a residency, but it's also like a vacation."
Also joining Viridian Strings for the first time is violinist Nathan Meltzer.
This Viridian Strings piano quartet is set to perform Friday, June 13 at 7 PM at the Alluvion in Traverse City and Saturday, June 14 at 7 PM at the Oliver Art Center in Frankfort.
Viridian Strings will be presenting three more sets this summer, including violin and viola duo this month, solo cello in July and August and string quartet in August.
Music performed in Studio A
W.A. Mozart, Piano Quartet in G minor, III. Rondo
Joaquin Turina, Piano Quartet in A minor, III. Andante - Allegretto
Michael Culler engineered this edition of Studio A, with support from Phillip Chao, Isa Garcia and Benjamin Stephens.
Amanda Sewell was the host of this episode. Scott Clemens is IPR's digital content manager.
