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

Lord Nelson and Count Chocula supervise Jesse’s Sunday practice session.

Last Friday, Jessie Montgomery’s husband Jumaane Smith brought a couple of friends to town from the Big Apple for a Musical Workshop at the Met School. Two of the afternoon’s highlights were James Marcil joining the guests for a number on electric guitar and the entire assembled group of CMW students and teachers providing a 12-bar groove for Jumaane & Company to solo above, as parents and friends watched and tapped their toes in approval.

It is the Monday following the annual Chamber Music America conference and the Providence String Quartet’s successful journey to perform Franz Schubert’s exquisite Cello Quintet in New York City. As good a day as any to begin a reasonable attempt at compiling the stories and images of the day-to-day successes and challenges that the Providence Quartet faces while building its permanent home in Providence, Rhode Island.