Parker Quartet's "Beethoven: Illuminated" Series — Episode 8

This video series spotlights each Beethoven quartet with an entertaining conversation about the work

Made up of violinists Daniel Chong and Ken Hamao, violist Jessica Bodner, and cellist Kee-Hyun Kim, The Parker Quartet celebrates its 20th anniversary with The Beethoven Project, a multifaceted project that centers around performances of the complete Beethoven quartet cycle.

Part of the project includes their new "Beethoven: Illuminated" series, in which the group releases videos spotlighting each Beethoven quartet every week, creating a free online resource and reference center on their YouTube channel.

This episode focuses on Beethoven's Op. 59 No. 1.

The Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet serves as Professors of the Practice and Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music plus as a visiting residency at the University of South Carolina.

Founded and currently based in Boston, the Parker Quartet’s numerous honors include winning the Concert Artists Guild Competition, the Grand Prix and Mozart Prize at France’s Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, and Chamber Music America’s prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award.

Recent seasons included performances at venues including Wigmore Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Music Toronto, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Strathmore.

Along with the educational video series, The Beethoven Project will see the Quartet commission six composers to write encores for each of the Beethoven cycle concerts. The aim is to bring in fresh and diverse voices of today to these Beethoven programs. In Boston, the Quartet is celebrating Beethoven’s music by presenting each quartet in venues beyond the concert hall, aiming to reach audiences who may not usually have access to live chamber music.

To learn more about The Beethoven Project, click here.