Meany Center: Imani Winds & Catalyst Quartet

Brandon Patrick George, flute
Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe
Jeff Scott, French horn
Mark Dover, clarinet
Monica Ellis, bassoon
Karla Donehew-Perez, violin
Abi Fayette, violin
Paul Laraia, viola
Karlos Rodriguez, cello

Mongo Santamaria, arr. Valerie Coleman – Afro Blue
Florence Price – Newly discovered work TBA
Jessie Montgomery – Sergeant McCauley
Roberto Sierra – Concierto de Cámara

The acclaimed Imani Winds and Catalyst Quartet present a bold combination of chamber music for winds and strings with (im)migration: music of change. Known for their dynamic performances and innovative repertoire, Grammy-nominated Imani Winds leads a revolution of the wind quintet while Catalyst Quartet features alumni from the internationally acclaimed Sphinx Organization. Performing individually and together, they present a program highlighting the experiences of migration, built around Sergeant McCauley, their newly commissioned piece from violinist and composer Jessie Montgomery.

"Dazzling ensemble playing … the whole is vastly more than the sum of its parts."
— The Washington Post

The performance will take place at 7:30pm.

Choose Your Own Series (CYO) packages go on sale later this fall. Full Series packages are now available; renewing Full Series subscribers will receive first priority for seating.

About Meany Center for the Performing Arts

http://www.meanycenter.org

About Imani Winds

Celebrating over a quarter century of music making, the twice Grammy-nominated Imani Winds has led both a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations, and outreach endeavors that have inspired audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The ensemble's playlist embraces traditional chamber music repertoire and newly commissioned works from voices that reflect historical events and the times in which we currently live.

About Catalyst Quartet

Hailed by The New York Times at its Carnegie Hall debut as "invariably energetic and finely burnished… playing with earthy vigor," the Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet was founded by the internationally acclaimed Sphinx Organization in 2010. The ensemble (Karla Donehew Perez, violin; Abi Fayette, violin; Paul Laraia, viola; and Karlos Rodriguez, cello) believes in the unity that can be achieved through music and imagine their programs and projects with this in mind, redefining and reimagining the classical music experience.

The Catalyst Quartet, known for "perfect ensemble unity" and "unequaled class of execution" (Lincoln Journal Star), has toured widely throughout the United States and abroad, including sold-out performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., at Chicago's Harris Theater, Miami's New World Center, and Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall in New York. The quartet has been guest soloists with the Cincinnati Symphony, New Haven Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, and has served as principal players and featured ensemble with the Sphinx Organization's featured ensemble, the Sphinx Virtuosi, on six national tours. They have been invited to perform at important music festivals such as Mainly Mozart in San Diego, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Sitka Music Festival, Juneau Jazz and Classics, Strings Music Festival, and the Grand Canyon Music Festival, where they appear annually. The Catalyst Quartet was ensemble-in-residence at the Vail Dance Festival in 2016 and in the 2021-22 season were in residence with San Francisco Performances where they presented the complete series of works from their Uncovered Project. In 2022, the Catalyst Quartet was named ensemble in residence for the Chamber Music Northwest Festival in Portland and for the Met Museum's LiveArts series in NYC.

The Catalyst Quartet members hold degrees from The Cleveland Institute of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard School, and New England Conservatory.