Recital: Balourdet String Quartet

The Balourdet String Quartet, NEC's current quartet in residence in the Professional String Quartet Program, presents their debut live performance at Jordan Hall.

The quartet members study with Nicholas Kitchen, Donald Weilerstein, and Paul Katz.
 

Watch Live Stream from Jordan Hall:


Balourdet STring Quartet

Angela Bae and Justin DeFilippis, violin
Benjamin Zannoni, viola
Russell Houston, cello

More About the Balourdet String Quartet

The Balourdet String Quartet, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is currently in residence at New England Conservatory in NEC’s Professional String Quartet Program. The quartet received the Gold Medal in the 2020 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Second Prize in the 2019 Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition. The Balourdet has shared the stage with renowned artists including Cho-Liang Lin, as well as members of the Dover Quartet. It has studied and performed at festivals including the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Robert Mann String Quartet Institute, and Accademia Musicale Chigiana. Formed in 2018 at Rice University in Houston, Texas under the tutelage of James Dunham, Norman Fischer, and Cho-Liang Lin, the Balourdet String Quartet works primarily with Paul Katz at New England Conservatory. The quartet takes its name from Antoine Balourdet, chef extraordinaire at the Hotel St. Bernard and beloved member of the Taos School of Music community.

NEC Professional String Quartet Training Program

The NEC Professional String Quartet Training Program
Once every two years, NEC admits a single string quartet into its Professional String Quartet Program, led by NEC faculty and Cleveland Quartet cellist Paul Katz. In addition to full tuition scholarships and living stipends, the program provides intensive training and coaching to exceptional, pre-existing groups who demonstrate the talent and commitment necessary to pursue a concert career. Previous graduates of the program include the Kuss, Jupiter, Parker, Ariel, Harlem, Biava, Omer, and Verona Quartets.

Ensembles
  • Balourdet String Quartet
  1. W. A. Mozart | String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465 "Dissonance"

    Adagio - Allegro
    Andante cantabile
    Menuetto: Allegro
    Allegro molto

  2. Claude Debussy | String Quartet in G Minor, op. 10

    Animé et très décidé
    Assez vif et bien rythmé
    Andantino, doucement expressif
    Très modéré
     

  3. ---intermission

  4. Ludwig van Beethoven | String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, op. 131

    Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
    Allegro molto vivace
    Allegro moderato - Adagio
    Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
    Presto
    Adagio quasi un poco andante
    Allegro

  5. We would like to extend our gratitude to our mentors, Mr. Katz. Mr. Kitchen, and Mr. Weilerstein for their tremendous dedication in teaching us throughout this year of unprecedented circumstances. Additionally, we’d like to thank everyone watching and supporting us in person and online today.