Gateways Music Festival: The Marian Anderson String Quartet

The critically-acclaimed all-female ensemble has performed at presidential inaugurations, the Library of Congress and more, making history in 1991 when they won the International Cleveland Quartet Competition – the first African American ensemble to win a classical music competition. Their rich program presents works reflecting on the theme of enslavement, beginning with MacArthur “Genius” Award recipient, Grammy Award winner and musical polymath Rhiannon Giddens’ “At the Purchaser’s Option with Variations,” through a suite by Jonathan McNair composed for the story of the underground railroad and pieces written in honor of the quartet’s namesake, before leading organically into a performance of Dvorak’s beloved “American” Quartet.

“On Being Enslaved”
Rhiannon Giddens, At the Purchaser’s Option with Variations (arr. J. Garchik)
Jonathan McNair, Follow the Drinking Gourd
Samuel Adler, In Memoriam: Marian Anderson
David Wallace, In Honor of Marian Anderson
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