Quartet’s tunes break barriers

The Harlem Quartet is changing the face of classical music.
The Quartet, made up of violinists Ilmar Gavilan and Melissa White, violist Jaime Amador Medina and cellist Matthew Zalkind, is a young group founded in 2006 in New York City.
Their mission is to “advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through the discovery and presentation of varied repertoire, highlighting works by minority composers,” according to their website.
Gavilan, a founding Quartet member, said they meet their mission by exposing young students to classical music who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity.
“Most of our concerts are organized with school visits,” Gavilan said via a telephone interview. “And let me tell you, it works. We get a lot of good feedback.”
Music is a universal language, Gavilan said, which can work to break down barriers between generations and race. No one genre of musical style is superior to another, he said.
“We want people to take away that you can play both classical and jazz and be excellent at both,” Gavilan said.
The main reason people steer away from classical music is they think of it as pretentious, he said.
“What makes it pretentious is the delivery of it and that’s not the point at all. The amazing composers would push the audiences’ hearts and entertain them,” he said.
One way Harlem Quartet members lighten the mood is by bringing humor into the performance. While on stage they talk and interact with the audience, which is unique in their field.
Gavilan said a lot of performers will talk on stage but they give facts and a history of the music and composer. The quartet does that as well but they will also laugh and interact with the audience.
When they play classical music they stay “faithful to the page.” Where they mix things up is with their original music.
Gavilan, who is a native of Havana, Cuba, brings a conga to the repertoire that his father wrote for him.
Also in the quartet is a native Puerto Rican. The mix of cultures helps bring expansion to their repertoire, Gavilan said.

IN THE quartet’s seven-year lifespan it has witnessed a substantial amount of success.
In 2009 the quartet played for President Barack Obama and the first lady. They have played all over the world and have played with jazz great Chick Corea.
The quartet recently recorded an album with Corea and Gary Burton, titled “Hot House.” The album is up for three Grammys.
If the album wins a Grammy, it will be the quartet’s first.
The quartet will be performing at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center Friday and the Grammys are on Sunday. Gavilan said for the next few days they will be on the edge of their seats.
The performance will be in the Creitz Recital Hall at 7 p.m. and is free to the public.
For more information contact the Bowlus at 365-4765 or visit the Harlem Quartet’s website at www.harlemquartet.com or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/harlemquartet.
Gavilan said they enjoy hearing feedback on their Facebook page and are pretty good at responding to people.