Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Innovative violinist David Harrington, founder of the Kronos Quartet, will be speaking about his music and career at the Graduate Center this coming Fall. This event will also feature a live performance of music selected by Harrington.

Harrington was inspired to form Kronos in 1973 after hearing a performance of Black Angels, an avant-garde piece by George Crumb. The new group quickly expanded into unconventional territory, performing renditions of songs by jazz artists, such as Ornette Coleman and Thelonious Monk, rock artists like Jimi Hendrix, as well as repertoire from past masters and contemporary composers. The group has worked closely with several prominent composers, including Terry Riley, Henryk Mikolaj Górecki, and Philip Glass, and has received numerous awards for their recordings and performances.