Kiwa Quartet Photo: Supplied
Formed in 2015 as part of a project supported by an NZSO Professional Development Grant, Kiwa Quartet pairs core masterpieces of the string quartet repertoire with boundary-breaking contemporary and ethnic music. NZSO violinist Malavika Gopal studied with the Alban Berg Quartet, her quartet winning prizes in Italy, France and Holland. American violinist Alan Molina, also an NZSO member, completed a Masters in Chamber Music and is a former Principal Second Violin with the Charleston Symphony. Sophia Acheson, Principal Violist of Orchestra Wellington, completed her studies in Barcelona and America where she also studied viola d'amore and viola da gamba. British cellist Ken Ichinose toured extensively as soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe before taking up the position of NZSO Associate Principal Cello. For this concert, Ken Ichinose had unfortunately injured his finger and was replaced by the very seasoned cellist of the New Zealand String Quartet, Rolf Gjelsten.
They open their concert with one of Haydn's late string quartets, written while he was employed by the Esterházy family.
Malavika Gopal & Alan Molina (violins), Sophia Acheson (viola) and guest cellist for this concert Rolf Gjelsten.
Charles Burney wrote to Haydn praising the innovations of the Op 76 quartets:
...they are full of invention, fire, good taste, and new effects, and seem the production, not of a sublime genius who has written so much and so well already, but of one of highly-cultivated talents, who had expended none of his fire before.
Recorded on 26 May 2019 at St. Andrew's on The Terrace, Wellington by RNZ Concert
Producer/Sound engineer: Darryl Stack
