Stalnaker No. 1

Last weekend, the Providence Quartet presented a house concert in the idyllic bedroom community of Warren, RI. Included on the program, between Wolf’s Italian Serenade and the Schubert Cello Quintet, was the Quartet’s first performance of William Stalnaker’s String Quartet No. 1. This piece is one of two string quartets composed by Sara’s grandfather; his Quartet No. 2 was performed by the PSQ at the RISD Museum earlier in the month.

According to Sara, William Stalnaker always wanted to be a full-time composer, but he had "mouths to feed" and held a variety of jobs in Portland, Oregon until he retired and was able to pursue his first love. These jobs ranged from Professor of Musicology, to choirmaster, to first grade teacher, to the local Fuller Brush man at a time when he was just scraping by financially.

The Providence String Quartet is working up both pieces for a recording date in early March. Sara’s father and grandfather will be flying in from Portland for the recording session, and while in town, Sara’s father Bill (a professional French Horn player) will be leading a Friday workshop for CMW students on practice techniques.

Heath Marlow, CMW staff