Hood River String Quartet to Perform March 7

The combined talents of violinists Chari Harrington and Melissa Arndt, Nick Eby on viola and cellist Michelle Edwards comprise the musical foursome, who began playing together in late 2014.

“We found each other,” says the quartet, “while practicing Handel’s Messiah in December of 2014 with Mark Steighner’s Columbia Gorge Sinfonietta. It felt like we were a match made in Heaven! We are all members of the Sinfonietta and are affiliated with the Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association (CGOA). Our quartet has performed publicly at VOCI and Sinfonietta concerts, the AniChe tasting room, plus park concerts in Hood River and Trout Lake. We truly enjoy playing together and are very excited about the music we and other musicians will be presenting to the community.”

Among the quartet’s selections is the first movement of the Ravel String Quartet, as well as musical compositions by Joel Kabakov, director of the Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) music department.

Kabakov, a composer, guitarist, pianist, and educator, holds music degrees from a number of U.S. universities with his Ph.D. thesis at Harvard.

Dr. Kabakov, who moved to The Dalles in 2007, introduced the electronic arts and world music curricula to CGCC, where he has served as Arts and Humanities Chair.Cellist Michelle Edwards and guest pianist Diana Beterbide will also perform two movements from a Brahms Sonata for cello and piano.

Joining the quartet will be Low Brass Fusion - the trombone foursome of Ed Price, Bob Smith, Maggie Goter and Hugh Amick, who are also members of the Sinfonietta. They will play an enjoyable mix of modern and classical music, with a rich beautiful sound unique to these instruments.

The musical event, which will last approximately an hour, is open to the public. While there is no charge, donations to the CGOA will be welcomed.

Refreshments following the concert will be provided by members of the HRVCC Chancel Choir.