Budapest Clarinet Quartet to perform in Gallup

Independent Staff

The Budapest Clarinet Quartet will perform in Gallup on Monday as part of the 2004-2005 Gallup Community Concert Series. (Courtesy Photo)

GALLUP — The Budapest Clarinet Quartet will perform in Gallup on Monday, Feb. 28, as part of the Gallup Community Concert Series. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the auditorium at Gallup High School.

This world renowned quartet has performed throughout Hungary, Europe, Canada, and the United States to acclaimed reviews from critics and colleagues alike.

The appeal of the Budapest Clarinet Quartet is the sound that four melodious clarinets (soprano clarinet, regular Bb clarinets, and bass clarinet) are able to produce. The musicians play a rich repertoire from Baroque to the 20th Century to pop standards.

The program for Monday's concert is tentatively scheduled to include "Old Hungarian Dances" by Ferenc Farkas, "Scherezade Suite"by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov,"Fox Dance"by Leo Weiner, "From the Alps to the South" by E. Fischer, "Hungarian Dances" by Johannes Brahms, "Four Romantic Players" by Gyulai Gaal, "Rumanian Folk Dances" by Bela Bartok, "Petite Suite" by Jean Francaix, "Pizzicato Polka" by Johann Strauss Jr., "Maple Leaf Rag, Etc." by Scott Joplin, "America" from"West Side Story" by Leonard Bernstein, and George Gershwin's "Oh, Lady Be Good" and excerpts from "Porgy & Bess."

The quartet is composed of Janos Szepesi, Gabor Varga, Akos Papai, and Gyorgy Ree. The musicians have appeared at the Hungarian Artists' Club Series, the World Music Day Festival, and the famous Budapest Spring Festival. In addition, the members of the quartet have performed in castles in Hungary as part of the summer festivals held each year. They perform as soloists with orchestras across Europe and teach at the Music Conservatories in Budapest.

Szepesi is a member of the Budapest Symphonic Orchestra and is presently master at Conservatoire, where he has been since 1992.

Varga plays first clarinet at the Budapest Symphonic Orchestra. In 1992 he was awarded third prize at the National Wind-Instrumentalists Competition and second prize in 1993 at the National Chamber Music Competition.

Papai is a bass clarinetist with the Duna Symphonic Orchestra. In 1989 he was awarded second prize at the National Clarinetists' Competition and in 1990 won first prize at the National Chamber Music Competition.

Ree is presently first clarinet at the Hungarian State Opera. He won first prize at the National Chamber Music Competition in 1990.

In addition to the concert by the Budapest Clarinet Quartet, the 2004-2005 Gallup Community Concert Season has two remaining performances scheduled. The following Monday, on March 7, Joanne Shenandoah, a Grammy-nominated Native American singer, will perform, and on Saturday, May 14, the famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform in concert.

— For more information about the Gallup Community Concert Series, contact Joyce at 863-3075.