Crystal Smothers (violin), Heidi Wright (violin), Louis Privitera (viola), and Jenna Dalbey (cello) are the founding members of the Tetra String Quartet. These four vibrant players have come together to create an ensemble that is capable of engaging, entertaining performances without breaking away from challenging repertoire. I've known Tetra for about a year now and watching Tetra grow as an ensemble has been the same as watching any great band evolve. You may hear some of the same tunes several times, but each performance is different with more nuance and new depth and more passion. For those who know me, I'm really not a fan of Classical music (roughly 1750-1820; the era of Mozart, Haydn, C.P.E Bach, and Beethoven) or even early Romantic music (roughly 1820-1920; think Clementi, Chopin, Bizet) but when I listen to Tetra play Haydn, I genuinely enjoy it. Their exploration into newer music brings a fresh energy to pieces by composers like Haydn and Shostakovich. On Nov. 5th at ASU, I went to one of their many recent concerts at ASU where Tetra currently holds the position of Faculty Associate.

One of the many things I love about Tetra is that it is their mission to be heard and enjoyed by more than just adult ears. Some of you may have heard Louis Privitera (viola) on KBAQ talk about some of Tetra's recent endeavors. They recently toured around Texas on the Music Bus Tour, a program that gives young and very talented chamber ensembles the opportunity to present interactive concerts to a wide variety of audiences who might not otherwise have the chance to meet a classically trained chamber ensemble. Just like any smart band, Tetra was sure to document not only their performances and interactions with their audiences, but the silliness and random happenings that occur between the rehearsals and the concerts.

I've been to Tetra's more family-oriented concerts and since I've grown up in the "Don't clap! Don't cough! Don't move!" mindset of behavior during concerts, I tend to enjoy them a little more than most traditional dark and silent concert or recital halls. Each member of Tetra plays a role in interacting with the audience. They've discovered this magic formula that allows them to talk about music history, composers, the influence of political events and still have a room full of 5-50 year olds on the edge of their seats.

Speaking of people being on the edge of their seats at a chamber concert, I need to start talking about Tetra's Nov. 5th Faculty Artist Series Concert. Tetra opened with Haydn's String Quartet Op. 76 No. 5 in D major. It's a mouthfull, but it is only appropriate that Tetra payed homage to the composer who helped establish the string quartet as an ensemble. Just look at this list of all of Haydn's string quartets on Wikipedia and you will see why. Haydn also helped establish the symphony (meaning a piece of music that features and orchestra and at the time had three or four movements of altering tempo). Symphonies and pieces for string quartet did exist before Haydn, but I still tip my hat to the man who made sure they stuck around. I already mentioned that Haydn will never make it onto my iPod. And I already mentioned that I love to hear Tetra play Haydn. This held true once again. Tetra played the first movement of the four-movement piece and stopped after (gasp!) to welcome the audience, introduce themselves and tell us to get ready for the second movement which was described by Crystal Smothers (first violin) as “a long soak in a bath.” The whole piece acted as an aural pallet cleanser for me, sweeping away whatever was stuck in my head and really prepared me to listen to the various musical conversations that were about to take place.

Shostakovich's 8th String Quartet came next. Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich lived from 1906-1975. His 8th quartet (8 out of 14) was written in the 1960s after he was “urged” to join the communist party and after he was diagnosed with polio. Even though the piece is “in memory of the victims of fascism and war”, the piece is more auto-biographical, exploring the composer's deep sadness and anger. Even before Tetra started playing, their body language changed. It was as if the hours of practice spent on this piece had transferred its' melancholy to the ensemble. Normally, when I see a pice that has three of its five movements titled “Largo” I start shifting in my seat, preparing my body for many minutes of dull, tedious music. My expectations were quickly diminished and replaced by the great lament and fits of very personal frustrations Shostakovich poured into the piece. The whole audience was taken along on the journey and gave Tetra a deserved standing ovation.

There was a surprise, at least for me, after intermission. Tetra's next piece was written by a composer I studied with in the summer of 2010 during the Cortona Sessions for New Music. Gabriella Lena Frank is a decorated composer; one of her many awards is a Latin Grammy. While the first two pieces on the program explored the emotive side of the string quartet, Frank's Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout, explores the more technical and playful side of the ensemble. Tetra performed three of the six movements, Toyos, Chasqui, and Coqueteos. Silky portamentos (sliding on a string), guitar strumming patterns, and buoyant pizzicatos echoed through the hall. Frank's music is greatly influenced by extensive treks through Latin America. In Leyendas, you can hear pan pipe tunes, Latin dance rhythms, and the scurrying feet of mountain messengers. It showcases Tetras ability to master music of any style or genre.

I am writing about Tetra at a very appropriate time because they have just released their first album, Tetra String Quartet Christmas, which can be purchased on Bandcamp for $10. They performed one tune from their album at the end of this concert and I'm absolutely adding this album to my xmas regulars. You can listen to the entire album on Bandcamp and you can download the first track for free.

Go Tell It On The Mountain by Tetra String Quartet

Go to tetraquartet.org to see where they are performing next and to learn more about Tetra Time, their interactive program designed for elementary through high school aged children. Tetra has performed their 'Just Dance' program at my school. I never thought I would see dozens of kids cheer wildly to see a professional violist. When they met Louis Privitera, all the string players in the audience went crazy.* If you would like to help Tetra grow, you can make a tax-deductible donation via Fractured Atlas, an umbrella organization that allows groups to function as a 501(c)3. And of course, buying Tetra's CD for your next secret santa would also help. Plus, you can listen to holiday music and have a little bit of AZ culture with you when you do.

*Yes, this actually happened.