THOMASVILLE- The finale concert for Thomasville Entertainment Foundation’s 86th performance series checked a lot of boxes among the organization’s missions and goals, as the Galvin Cello Quartet enriched, engaged and delighted audiences in two performances at Thomasville Center for the Arts this week.
On Tuesday morning, a few hours before their concert for TEF’s Classics Series, the award-winning international ensemble performed a one-hour matinee concert for 240 local students, complementing important classical music with interesting commentary and explanation, not only of the pieces they selected, but also about the cello as an instrument and its unlimited range. The four musicians also took time to answer myriad questions posed by the students, representing Brookwood, Harper Elementary, Jerger Elementary, Thomasville High School, Thomasville Scholars Academy and the homeschool community.
Many of the young attendees were participants in their school strings, orchestra and band programs and were surprised at the virtuosity and diversity the instrument could produce in the hands of the visiting artists. An ensemble of four cellos is a rare configuration in the classical music realm, but the Galvin Cello Quartet is working to change that. With members from China, Brazil, South Korea and the United States, the group met as students at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and burst onto the scene in 2021 by capturing the silver medal at the venerable Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the world’s largest, within weeks of their joining together as an ensemble. Shortly thereafter, they captured top honors at the Concert Artists Guild’s Victor Elmaleh Competition in 2022.
“We were thrilled with the student matinee,” said Rick Ivey, TEF’s executive and artistic director. “As I explained to the students, I have been attending classical music concerts for 50 years, and I have never seen a cello quartet until now. So this was something truly rare and special to have in our community.”
The student matinee was made possible by TEF’s Education Fund, so there was no charge to the participating schools or students. Connecting their renowned performing artists with local students in free educational outreach opportunities is an essential part of TEF’s mission.
On Tuesday evening, a somewhat weather-diminished but enthusiastic audience was treated to a diverse and virtuosic program of 18th, 19th and 20th century works by David Popper, Antonio Vivaldi, Richard Wagner, Gioachino Rossini, Gabriela Lena Frank and Carlos Gardel, a flashy and lush performance that drew strong applause throughout, two standing ovations and loud calls of “Encore!” and “Bravo!” at the finale.
Throughout their performance and in their dynamic encore of an Astor Piazzolla work, Galvin Cello Quartet’s technical excellence was matched only by their virtuosity and artistry, and their commentary and exposition of the works were enriching and engaging.
Cellists Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, Luiz Venturelli and Sihao He also took time after the evening performance to greet concertgoers in the lobby, including music students from Florida State and Valdosta State universities, as well as local high school students who attended the concert on free Tickets for Teens, funded in part by a grant from the Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation and an anonymous donor to TEF’s Education Fund.
“The Galvin Cello Quartet was just superb in every way and in every interaction, and we were delighted to be able to bring them to Thomasville relatively early in what will no doubt be a long and storied performance career,” Ivey added.
While Tuesday’s concert was the finale of the 2023-24 mainstage series, there is one remaining performance in the TEF Family Series, a free outdoor concert by Georgia trumpeter and bandleader Joe Gransden and his 16-piece big band, set for Saturday afternoon, April 13, at 5:30 p.m. under the oaks at the Thomasville Center for the Arts. Like all TEF Family Series offerings, that concert is offered free and open to the public, thanks to generous donations honoring longtime TEF artistic leader Janice Faircloth by the Parker Poe Charitable Trust, Emily and Bill Searcy Charitable Trust, Dr. & Mrs. Douglas C. McPherson, Diane Williams Parker and other friends of TEF.