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The Madawaska Quartet, based in Toronto, was formed early in 2001. With violinists originally from Japan and England, a viola player from Ontario, and a cellist from BC, the quartet has many influences and sources to draw from. These influences are reflected in the quartet's programming of repertoire from the Middle Ages to the present day.
In the summer of 2001, the quartet toured the Ottawa Valley Region of Ontario with a programme of works by Schubert, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Haydn. Their touring programme for 2002 includes pieces by Lassus, Beethoven, Janacek, Schnittke, Nancarrow, John Oswald, and Linda Smith. The quartet was recently featured in Guillaume Bernardi's production Duos at Toronto's Artword Theatre.
Recent appearances include a performance in May of this year at The Music Gallery, where they will also play the Opening Concert of the Gallery's new Fresh Ears family concert series, as well as conduct a workshop for young composers (details to come).
The combined experiences of the quartet members have resulted in a commitment to bring highly diverse music to as broad and audience as possible. Thus, the first aim of the quartet is to tour, particularly in regions of Canada that have little or no exposure to western classical music. The second aim is to ensure that, alongside familiar repertoire, their audiences will always experience something unusual which they may not otherwise have the opportunity to hear.
"rapturous playing, headlong and spontaneous" , The Globe and Mail
"Rebecca van der Post demonstrates both a delicate luminescence and raw utterance from one moment to the next"
"tremendous physical and emotional stamina - and a strong musical commitment- throughout the demanding programme", The Globe and Mail
Anna Redekop, Viola Rebecca van der Post, Violin Meran Currie-Roberts, Cello Sarah Fraser, Violin Coming Soon: A Sample of our Music
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