Dublin Guitar Quartet

Cutting-edge, contemporary works from the "astonishing" and "impeccable" quartet (NPR).

Winter 2023

Dublin Guitar Quartet - 'Aheym' by Bryce Dessner (The National)

Dublin Guitar Quartet is the first guitar quartet entirely devoted to new classical music. Since its formation at the Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama, the ensemble has worked to expand the limited repertoire by commissioning new works and adapting modern masterpieces from outside of the guitar repertoire. With the help of eight and eleven-string guitars, the quartet has created an original catalogue of arrangements by composers such as Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Arvo Part, Gyorgy Ligeti and more.

A conversation with the artists follows.

Dublin Guitar Quartet's international touring is supported by Culture Ireland.

Program

Aheym Bryce Dessner
Piano Etudes No. 2, 9, 10, 16 & 20 Philip Glass
Orawa Wojciech Kilar
Gongon William Kanengiser
Book of Leaves Rachel Grimes
Inaktelki nóták and Mátraszentimrei Dalok Gyorgy Ligeti
Ninkasi Marc Mellits

Program

The Project

Hopkins Center for the Arts
at Dartmouth

presents

Dublin Guitar Quartet

Brian Bolger
Pat Brunnock
Chien Buggle
Tomas O’Durcain

Tuesday, January 31, 7:30 pm
Church of Christ • Dartmouth College • 2023

Dublin Guitar Quartet’s international touring is supported by Culture Ireland.
Generously supported by the David J. O’Connor Fund, the C. Henry Hathaway 1907 Memorial Fund No. 3, and Linda and Frederick A. Roesch ’60, T’61, P’88, P’90.

Program
Approximate duration: 120 minutes including intermission

Aheym Bryce Dessner (b. 1976)

Piano Etudes No. 2, 9, 10, 16 & 20 Philip Glass (b. 1937)

Orawa Wojciech Kilar (1932 - 2013)

Intermission

Gongon William Kanengiser (b. 1959)

Book of Leaves Rachel Grimes (b. 1970)

Inaktelki nóták and Mátraszentimrei Dalok Gyorgy Ligeti (1923 - 2006)

Ninkasi Marc Mellits (b. 1966)

About the Artists

Described as a “quartet with a difference” by the Irish Times, Dublin Guitar Quartet is the first classical guitar quartet entirely devoted to new music. Since its formation at the Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama, the DGQ has worked to expand the limited repertoire by commissioning new works and adapting contemporary works from outside of the guitar repertoire.

With the help of eight and eleven-string guitars the quartet has created an original catalogue of arrangements by composers such Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Arvo Part and Gyorgy Ligeti. The DGQ’s work has brought the attention of some of the world’s leading composers. This includes an album release on Philip Glass’s Orange Mountain Music label and a new 55-minute commission by Michael Gordon (NY). In April 2015, the quartet performed alongside the Grammy award-winning LA Guitar Quartet, Conspirare and Texas Guitar Quartet in a premiere of How Little You Are for three guitar quartets and choir by Nico Muhly in Austin, Texas. In 2019 DGQ performed their own reduction of this work in a US tour in collaboration with vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. The quartet have also premiered a commission by Chicago-based composer Marc Mellits in Syracuse, New York in March of 2016.

In 2010 the quartet were involved in a special performance of Repentance for cello, guitars and double bass by celebrated Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina. The composer was present as they joined the Russian cellist Ivan Monighetti in a concert in St. Peter’s Church, Drogheda. The DGQ’s recording of this work was released on the LCMS label in March 2012. In 2008, the quartet was honored to share the stage with legendary American composer Philip Glass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dundalk. Their recording of these transcriptions reached No.8 on the US iTunes classical charts in 2014.

Other performance highlights include a four-city tour of Columbia and nine tours of North America. The DGQ have also performed at the prestigious chamber music venue, Wigmore Hall in London and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. They have also performed in many of the leading venues in the US including The Philips Collection Washington, Celebrity Series Boston, Subculture, Symphony Space, Yale University and the Lincoln Centre in New York. In 2019 the quartet performed as one of the jury selected ensembles at Classical Next, Rotterdam.

The DGQ are developing the electric side of their guitar quartet repertoire with works like Amplified, a recent commission for electric guitar quartet by Michael Gordon. This was premiered at the David Lang/Bang on a Can curated festival of new music at the National Concert Hall, Dublin in February 2015. The US premiere took place at four-night residency at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in December 2016.

The Dublin Guitar Quartet is supported by Culture Ireland and Music Network (IRL).

Connecting Artists to the Community

The Dublin Guitar Quartet will take part in a public discussion following the performance. They will also visit classes in the Music Department and the Upper Valley Music Center.

“astonishing… satisfying… impeccable”
NPR

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