FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2010
Longy to host 2010 Pacifica Quartet Competition Concert on October 5
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| Pacifica Quartet |
As a child, Juan Ruiz fell in love with the rhythms of his native Colombia, throwing himself into the study of Latin American percussion.
“I never even thought of studying classical music,” said Ruiz, now a 25-year-old undergraduate student at Longy School of Music in Cambridge. “When I started learning music, I started with the folk music of my country.”
However, the years have brought many changes. Over the past decade, Ruiz has emerged as a promising classical clarinetist, who has already logged solo performances in prestigious halls in Medellin and has played with Boston-area orchestras including the Nashua Symphony and Symphony Pro Musica. Now he’s preparing to perform Mozart with the Pacifica Quartet, winner of the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance.
“I feel very privileged and excited about the opportunity to play with such phenomenal musicians,” said Ruiz, winner of the 2010 Pacifica Quartet Competition, which selects one Longy student to share the stage with the renowned chamber music ensemble, visiting artists at Longy since 2007.
The concert takes place on Tuesday, October 5, at 8 p.m. in Longy’s Pickman Hall, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge. Admission free; tickets required. (617.876.0956, www.longy.edu) Ruiz will perform with the quartet in Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major. The evening program also includes Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 3 in F Major and Schumann’s Quartet in A minor Op. 41, No. 1.
Widely recognized for its virtuosity, exuberant performance style, and often-daring repertory choices, the Pacifica Quartet tours extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, performing in many of the world’s major concert halls. During their Longy residency, members of the quartet have served as mentors, role models, and teachers, participating in master classes, workshops, and departmental seminars, among other things.
The two-year-old Pacifica Quartet Competition is designed to give Longy students an opportunity to perform with the eminent visiting artists. Up to six finalists have a chance to perform their quintet with the group in the course of the competition.
The competition itself is a remarkable experience, says Ruiz, a composition major who also continues his study of clarinet. “The final round was incredible,” he recalled. “I’ve never played with such amazing musicians. They play like they’ve been playing with you for your whole life.”
About Longy School of Music
Located in Harvard Square, Longy School of Music is a degree-granting Conservatory that also offers a wide range of Community Programs for children (Preparatory Studies) and adults (Continuing Studies). With a curriculum rooted in the traditions of Western music, Longy serves 225 undergraduate and graduate students from 37 states and 21 countries, and nearly 1,000 children and adults from the Greater Boston area. Longy’s overarching mission is to prepare musicians to make a difference in the world. For more information, including our concert schedule, directions, and information about classes and degree programs, visit our website at www.longy.edu.
CONTACT:
Communications
27 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617.876.0956 x1626
communications@longy.edu
