Washington and Lee University
This is the first of three visits to W & L the Marinus Ensemble will make as a W&L in-Residence Quartet, thanks to the sponsorship and generosity of the Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest Visiting Artists Fund. The other two visits will occur in February and March of next year.
The Marinus Ensemble comprised of Hye-Jin Kim, violinist; Rachel Kuipers Konan, violinist and artistic director; Joseph Kuipers, cello; and Ellen Hwangbo, pianist, is an international chamber music collective. Founded in 2010 by siblings Rachel and Joseph Kuipers, this fellowship of artists is united by a spirit of collaboration and guided by a search for quality and expression of the human spirit through solo, chamber music, and conductorless orchestra performances of the past and evolving musical heritage. The first lecture and concert at W & L will focus on Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy because he was an extraordinary composer capable of delicacy and depth, and also a being of great sensitivity. Through the lens of his wordless music and also his written word, this program will explore the music and personhood of exuberant Mendelssohn. Speaking beyond the musical scores, artists at the concert will read excerpts from his correspondence with poet Johann Goethe throughout the program.
In addition to the lecture and concert, the In-Residence quartet will work in master classes with W & L applied students and lecture to classes in music history and theory.