With an innovative approach to the classical-style of Mozart, the Berlin-based string ensemble, Armida Quartet, will take the Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts (HBPA) stage at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 5, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.
The quartet will present “Mozart Exploded,” which re-envisions Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a young, radical and modern composer by juxtaposing Mozart’s classical pieces with those by contemporary composers. This musical conversation will be supplemented by readings from letters written by Mozart and his father, Leopold Mozart.
HBPA season ticket holders are invited to a come and go pie reception in the Hesston Mennonite Church Community Center from 6:15 to 7:15, prior to the concert. The 2019-20 HBPA season will be unveiled during the reception. Single ticket holders may attend the pie reception at an additional cost of $5.
Founded in 2006, Armida Quartet adopted its name from an opera by Joseph Haydn, “father of the string quartet.” The quartet features Martin Funda and Johanna Staemmler on violin, Teresa Schwamm on viola and Peter-Philipp Staemmler on cello.
Armida Quartet’s popularity and recognition took off in 2012 after winning first prize at the ARD International Competition, the largest international classical music competition in Germany.
Since that time, the ensemble has recorded five albums, was selected to the “Rising Stars” ranks of the European Concert Hall Organization (ECHO) for its 2016-17 season, and has performed extensively throughout Europe.
Frequent collaboration with other musicians is a priority for the Armida Quartet. They studied with members of well-known quartets for many years, such as Hagen Quartet and the Artemis Quartet, and have worked with solo artists as well. Each of the musicians has taught chamber music at the Berlin University of the Arts.
Reserved seating and general admission tickets for Armida Quartet range from $18 to $27 with discounts available for students and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling 620-327-8105 or in person at the Hesston College Bookstore in Erb Hall or Bethel College’s Thresher Shop in Schultz Student Center during regular business hours.
Started in 1982 as Hesston Performing Arts, the series expanded in 1998 when Hesston College joined forces with Bethel College for The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series. The series presents five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year. HBPA is funded in part by the city of North Newton, Excel Industries and Hustler Turf Equipment (Hesston), the North Newton Community Foundation and the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Area businesses and patrons provide additional funding for the HBPA series.