January 13, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Alys Stephens Center presents Harlem Quartet, A Sphinx Ensemble, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. S., Birmingham. Tickets are $35; student tickets are $20. This show is part of the Birmingham Chamber Music Society Series; sponsors include WBHM, The Birmingham News, UAB and Viva Health. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.

The Harlem Quartet, comprised of first-place laureates of the Sphinx Competition, strives to advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through the discovery and presentation of varied repertoire, highlighting works by minority composers. They are dedicated to education and community engagement as well as to superb classical performance. This innovative and daring string quartet are principal faculty at the Sphinx Performance Academy at Walnut Hill School in Massachusetts, a premier independent arts prep school, and as visiting faculty at the Sphinx Preparatory Music Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit.

The Harlem Quartet made their acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut in 2006 at the Sphinx Organization's 10th anniversary gala, earning rave reviews from The New York Times. A month later they debuted at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theatre with a well-received performance of Wynton Marsalis' "At the Octoroon Balls." In 2007 they released their first CD, "Take the 'A' Train." The Quartet recently made their Washington debut at the Library of Congress; they played the Stradivari instruments in the library's collection with New York Philharmonic Principal Cellist Carter Brey.

Quartet members are Ilmar Gavilan, violin; Melissa White, violin; Juan-Miguel Hernandez, viola; and Desmond Neysmith, cello. The evening's program includes Joaquin Turina, "La Oracion del Torero"; Ravel, String Quartet in F Major; selections from "At the Octoroon Balls"; and Billy Strayhorn, "Take the "A" Train."