Bowerbird is pleased to present Philadelphia’s Bismuth Quartet in a special concert featuring compositions by quartet members Carlos Santiago and Veronica Jurkiewicz. For this performance the Bismuth Quartet welcomes special guests Tom Kraines and Matt Engle.

PROGRAM

Carlos Santiago: Arc for string quartet
Veronica Jurkiewicz: Chora for string quartet

Arc/Chora sonically explores being alone and adrift, in a barren landscape, free floating in the cold darkness(Arc) …coupled with the promise of closeness, warmth, tranquility, hope, love, and understanding (Chora)

ABOUT THE ARTIST
One of Philadelphia’s hidden gems, Bismuth Quartet takes the string quartet into new territory as performers, composers, collaborators, and improvisers. Past and future projects include cross-disciplinary collaborations, diverse programming, and performing original compositions. Equally at home playing modern, classical, experimental, and improvised music, Bismuth has performed at notable venues such as the Mann Center, Union Transfer, and the Mütter Museum, among others. The Quartet presents a unique experience to its audiences and has partnered on productions across Philadelphia performing on the Moon Viewing Platform as part of the 2019 Site/Sound Festival, playing spectral music presented by Fire Museum Presents at the Icebox Project Space, and collaboratively composing and performing scores to silent films alongside Not So Silent Cinema. Bismuth Quartet maintains active projects across the Philadelphia music scene at-large and has been featured with Jazmine Sullivan, Arcana New Music Ensemble, Philadelphia Jazz Project, indie rock bands Whitney, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, with NYC-based performer/improviser/composer Anaïs Maviel, and video artist/choreographer Nora Gibson aka CHROMA. Bismuth encourages the creation of new work and is in the midst of a commission in collaboration with composer Adam Berenson to be recorded in the fall of 2022.

Bismuth Quartet

Carlos Santiago – violin
Veronica Jurkiewicz – viola
Tom Kraines – cello
Matt Engle – double bass

HEALTH & SAFETY
This is an “in person” event.   In consideration of the ongoing pandemic and the safety of those in our community, Bowerbird is requiring all audience members, staff, and performers to wear a mask while inside the venue (please note that musicians will have the option to perform without masks once on stage).