CARPE DIEM STRING QUARTET

Chas Wetherbee, violin
John Ewing, violin
Korine Fujiwara, viola
Kristin Ostling, cello

Carpe Diem String Quartet, in residence at Ohio Wesleyan University, is an exciting ensemble that has captured the imagination of audiences, the respect of critics, and is one of the most versatile quartets of their generation. Carpe Diem has earned critical acclaim with innovative programming, electrifying performances, and a passion for audience engagement. The group’s musical passion has led them down the paths of gypsy, tango, folk, pop, rock, and jazz inspired music, but the quartet is equally at home with the traditional string quartet repertoire. Carpe Diem has become the premier American “indie” string quartet.

Defying easy classification, the quartet continues to break boundaries and push the limits of the classical string quartet. Carpe Diem writes, arranges and performs music of all styles, and works with artists from many different genres. The quartet recently performed with American songwriter/guitarist Willy Porter, and the CD of their live concert has received rave reviews. Also this year Carpe Diem will be collaborating with Latin Grammy winner Raul Juarena. Carpe Diem was recently featured in Strings magazine, highlighting their unique and innovative vision for chamber music. The quartet has a busy recording schedule, and continues its project of recording the nine string quartets of Sergey Taneyev for the Naxos label. The first CD of this series (Naxos 8.570437) was selected for the 51st Grammy Awards Entry List (2009) in four categories: Best Classical Album, Best Chamber Music Performance, Best New Artist, and Best Engineered Album-Classical. The quartet is the resident ensemble for Columbus Dance Theater, and their joint project The String Machine was aired by WOSU-PBS television through 2007–2008, and nominated for an Emmy award.

The quartet is committed to changing the concert experience of chamber music. Using innovative programming, thematic concerts, and popular music for younger generations, cameras and video to assist in the visual presentation, as well as speaking from the stage to better engage the audience, Carpe Diem is bringing new audiences into the concert hall and revitalizing the chamber music experience.

The quartet, violinists Charles Wetherbee and John Ewing, violist Korine Fujiwara and cellist Kristin Ostling, is dedicated to music education and outreach, and regularly performs educational programs specifically designed to relate to students of all ages and establish classical music’s relevance to their lives. Carpe Diem has developed three engagement programs by which they accomplish this—MusiCare, Music Goes to School, and carpe_diem_kids@harrisonpark. Carpe Diem recently started a new program with generous support from PNC bank, called Music from the Start. Music from the Start will bring the quartet to Central Ohio Head Start programs on a regular basis.

Carpe Diem champions the music of living composers, and has premiered and given first Mid-West performances of works by Frank Bennett, Danny Elfman, Gabriela Frank, Ken Fuchs, Korine Fujiwara, Osvaldo Golijov, Andre Hajdu, Donald Harris, Jennifer Higdon, Jonathan Leshnoff, Nicholas Maw, William Thomas McKinley, Clancy Newman, Carter Pann, Kevin Putts, Terry Riley, Eric Sawyer, Gunther Schuller, Richard Smoot, and Bruce Wolosoff, among others.

Carpe Diem String Quartet is represented by:
Lisa Sapinkopf Artists & Great Lakes Performing Artist Associates

For further information, please visit www.carpediemstringquartet.com.

Visit Carpe Diem String Quartet’s Facebook page

Albums featuring this artist are available for download from ClassicsOnline.com

Role: Ensemble
Album Title	Catalogue No	Work Category