Gustavus Artist Series Hosts American Horn Quartet in Concert

The Gustavus Artist Series continues its 2006 season with a performance by the acclaimed American Horn Quartet, Friday, February 24, beginning at 8:00 p.m. in Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall. Widely recognized as the finest horn quartet in the world, the American Horn Quartet will be in residency at Gustavus Adolphus College from February 22 – 25 and will present a clinic and the concert on February 24. Tickets for the performance are on sale at the Gustavus Ticket Center, 507-933-7590, and at the door on the evening of the performance. The clinic at 1:00 p.m. in the recital hall is free and open to the public.

Established in 1982 by four American horn players who were members of European orchestras, the American Horn Quartet enjoys an ever-increasing popularity in the world of brass chamber ensembles. Individually, the members of the Quartet have won numerous prizes as soloists in international competitions in Europe and North America. In addition, the Quartet has won first place prizes in competitions from Hungary to Tokyo and have performed thoughout the world. Considered unique in the field of chamber music performance, the Quartet offers an interesting repertoire which includes works for horn as well as imaginative arrangements of works of diverse genres and prize-winning original compositions. With several highly praised AHQ recordings on the market, the American Record Guide recently described the American Horn Quartet as “the finest brass chamber ensemble in the world.”

For this Gustavus Artist Series performance, the AHQ will present works ranging from Mozart, Bach and Bizet, to Kerry Turner, Eric Ewazen and Leonard Bernstein. The program includes Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Overture, a Carmen Suite (Bizet), Myths and Legends by Ewazen, and Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite.

Tickets for the American Horn Quartet’s performance at Gustavus on Friday, February 24, are available by calling the Ticket Center at 507-933-7590 or may be purchased at the box office in the recital hall lobby. The afternoon clinic at 1:00 in the recital hall is free and open to the public.