American Piano Quartet Comes to USU

The American Piano Quartet is coming to Logan for its first performance at Utah State University Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Caine Performance Hall.

Paul Pollei founded the American Piano Quartet in 1984. The quartet prides itself on performing original works, transcriptions and arrangements for the combination of two pianos and eight hands. The art of piano quartets began in the latter 19th century and has since found new popularity due to the quartet’s efforts in research, commissions and performances over the last three decades. The quartet — as the name implies — includes four musicians: Robin Hancock, Scott Holden, Del Parkinson and Jeffrey Shumway. All four focus their careers in all areas of performance, teaching, composing and arranging.

“The Quartet has been playing some of the most entertaining and difficult piano ensemble music for almost 30 years,” said Kevin Olson, associate professor of music at USU. “The quartet’s concerts are always packed with energy, virtuosity and humor.”

The performance will include a variety of musical arrangements by well-known composers that include Johannes Brahms and Frederic Chopin.

“It’s a chance to hear the equivalent of a ‘piano orchestra’ and many of the pieces they perform are difficult arrangements and transcriptions of great orchestral literature,” Olson said.

The American Piano Quartet concert is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the CCA Box Office in room L101 of the Chase Fine Arts Center, call 435-797-8022 or see the college’s Production Services website.

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Writer: Samantha Kiser, 435-632-5524, samantha.noel.kiser@aggiemail.usu.edu

Contact: Whitney Schulte, 435-797-9203, whitney.schulte@usu.edu