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Tasman String Quartet Visits Auburn

The Tasman String Quartet has traveled the 8,130 miles from Wellington, New Zealand to Auburn, Alabama to share their music and experiences with the college and surrounding community.

Beginning February 15th, the Department of Music in the College of Liberal Arts will host the Tasman String Quartet in a month-long residency. The group will serve as guest faculty at Auburn, perform in concert, and travel the state giving lessons and workshops.

Founded in 2006, the quartet includes violinists Anna van der Zee, Jennifer Banks, Christiaan van der Zee, and cellist Miranda Wilson. The group was mentored by the New Zealand String Quartet and quickly gained acclaim. In addition to numerous live appearances throughout the country, they have performed on New Zealand radio stations including Chamber Music New Zealand and Radio New Zealand.

While in residence at Auburn, the Tasman Quartet will be involved in several special events. A concert on Feb. 16th at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Department's Goodwin Hall will kick off the residency. The concert is free and open to everyone; a reception follows the show.

In addition, the group will travel the state conducting workshops at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and at schools in Birmingham, Huntsville, Tuskegee, Opelika and Mobile. The group will also be involved in several events on campus. Besides instructing classes in the Music Department, the group will visit a graduate poetry writing class in the English Department and collaborate with the Music Department for several concerts.

Brought to Auburn under the auspices of the Breeden Eminent Scholar Chair, held by Dr. Howard Goldstein of the Music Department, the group will offer unique opportunities in string education and performance for students and faculty as well as the general public. The residency is coordinated by Goldstein, the Music Department and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities.

Since 2007, the group has been at the University of Colorado in Boulder completing a residency under the guidance of the Takàcs Quartet. Their recent achievements include a fellowship to the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies at the Aspen Music Festival and School, an invitation to perform at the Julliard String Quartet Seminar in New York, the Honorable Mention in the finals of the Plowman Chamber Music Competition in Missouri and the Jeremy Rutenberg Chamber Music Competition in Florida.

For more information about the Tasman String Quartet and its residency, visit www.auburn.edu/cah or call 334-844-4946.