The hall was packed with students, musicians and Bloomington locals before the concert started.
Pacifica Quartet is currently the Quartet-at-residence at the music school.
As full-time faculty members, they coach 35 students who provide a series of concerts at the Wylie Museum in Bloomington.
While working hard on creating more performing opportunities for their students at IU, Pacifica Quartet also maintains itself as a professional performing group and has three to four concerts at the music school each year.
The established quartet is famous for not only its various celebrated approaches of interpreting classical pieces but also for its concerts as a whole.
“For each concert, we are trying very hard to create a compelling and meaningful program that speaks to everyone in the audience,” quartet violinist Sibbi Bernhardsson said. “It’s like creating a certain type of menu.”
The concert has changed this year because of a collaboration with the quartet’s long-time mentor, professor Menahem Pressler.
“The collaboration is a very natural progression,” Pacifica Quartet Project Manager Sally Bernhardsson said. “Professor Pressler has been a long-time mentor for the quartet since over 10 years ago. In fact, the members of Pacifica Quartet were attracted to the Jacobs School of Music largely because of the legendary faculty members in the school, like professor Pressler. It’s a wonderful full cycle of their professional ?career.”
The concert operated like a preview for a new album set to release next summer. The group, including the quartet and Pressler, is planning to record Brahms’ piano quintet in F Minor, Op. 34.
“Professor Pressler is a true legend of our (time) and a very important mentor for us,” Sibbi Bernhardsson said. “He is turning 91 this September but has (remained) very active.”
Sally Bernhardsson spotted a very sophisticated audience for classical music in Bloomington.
“Because of the renowned Jacobs School of Music and the great performances it brings, the audience in Bloomington went to a lot of world-class classical concerts and opera,” Sally Bernhardsson said.
Sibbi Bernhardsson said the concerts bring in a variety of people, including a large number of students, musicians and retired Bloomington locals.
These varied demographics create a strong base for classical music in the ?community.
The pieces featured in the concert included Beethoven’s String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 18 No. 6, String Quartet No. 5 by Carter and Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 (with Menahem Pressler) by Brahms.
Like actors and actresses, Pacifica Quartet always amazes the audience with a way of interpreting classical music in a music-driven and composer-driven way that reveals the distinct quality of the music and helps the audience to appreciate different musical expressions of the same theme.
“A truly compelling program consists of pieces that complement each other and shows a deeper emotional connection in the music,” Sibbi Bernhardsson said. “And there must be a balance between recognizable pieces and the sheer beauty in it.”
