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5 Penny Performer's Bio -
Silver Birch Quartet
Founded in 2003 under the auspices of the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, the Silver Birch Quartet is one of Ontario’s most exciting and innovative young quartets. Comprised of four of Toronto’s most gifted string graduates, this quartet has quickly earned praise for their vibrant, virtuosic performances throughout Ontario and Quebec. Under the mentorship of such luminaries as Lorand Fenyves, Terry Helmer, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the members of Silver Birch combine outstanding technical ability with a strong charisma to connect with their audiences, either in the concert hall or in the classroom.
At home both in the traditional string quartet literature, as well as the demands of the music of our time, the quartet has collaborated on projects with a wide-range of performers, such as violinist Scott St. John, ‘cellist Simon Fryer, jazz pianist John Roney, and Argentine Tango dancers Roxanna and Fabian Belmonte. The quartet’s programming places a special emphasis on bringing eclectic repertoire to the public, with a strong commitment to music by established and emerging Canadian composers. The quartet has a close relationship with the composers Robert Lemay and Alex Eddington, having been involved in several premieres by these composers, as well as having quartets by Linda Bouchard, Gary Kulesha and John Weinzweig in its repertoire. As part of their deep commitment to bringing new music to new audiences, the quartet also performs frequently in elementary-level schools, to expose young children to string chamber music in a dynamic program of traditional and contemporary music. The quartet is strongly committed to these education projects, to both develop future audiences and enrich the education of young people. This commitment extends to their own concert audiences as well, with every performance having significant interaction from the stage, to enlighten and engage audiences to a deeper appreciation of their art.