Bringing its signature “vibrant, highly charged playing” (NPR), the Pacifica Quartet teams up with “one of opera’s strongest voices” (The Washington Post), soprano Karen Slack, and pianist Casey Robards for an evening spotlighting Black composers.

EPSG:4326

Pacifica Quartet

Yale University

Experience an evening of exceptional classical music with the renowned clarinetist Anthony McGill and the Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet. Anthony McGill, the first African-American principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, is celebrated for his brilliance, penetrating sound, and rich character. His illustrious career includes performances with top orchestras worldwide and a notable appearance at President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration. McGill's dedication to music education and advocacy for diversity in classical music further underscores his multifaceted contributions to the arts.

Joining McGill is the Pacifica Quartet, an ensemble acclaimed for its virtuosity, exuberant performance style, and daring repertory choices. With a career spanning nearly three decades, the Quartet has established itself as one of the finest chamber ensembles performing today. Their powerful energy and cohesive sound have earned them international recognition and numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards. The Pacifica Quartet is known for its masterful interpretations of string quartet cycles and its commitment to contemporary music, commissioning and performing new works by leading composers.

The program for the evening features a rich selection of works, including Dvořák's String Quartet Op. 96 American, Ben Shirley's High Sierra Sonata for Clarinet and Quartet, and Brahms' Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115. This collaboration between McGill and the Pacifica Quartet promises a captivating performance, showcasing their exceptional artistry and deep musical connection.

Anthony McGill Clarinet & Pacifica Quartet

War Memorial and Performing Arts Center

### Event Description: Pacifica Quartet Concert

**Date and Time:** November 9, 2024, at 7:30 PM (Pre-concert talk at 6:30 PM)

**Location:** Sunset Center, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

**Program:**
- Samuel Barber: String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 11 (1936)
- George Crumb: Black Angels (1970)
- Antonín Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major "American," Op. 96 (1893)

**Event Overview:**
Join the renowned Pacifica Quartet for an evening of exceptional string quartet performances at the Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. The concert will feature a diverse program, including works by Samuel Barber, George Crumb, and Antonín Dvořák. The evening will begin with a pre-concert talk at 6:30 PM, providing insights into the pieces to be performed.

**About the Pacifica Quartet:**
Formed in 1994, the Pacifica Quartet has quickly risen to prominence, winning numerous prestigious awards and accolades. Known for their powerful energy and cohesive sound, the ensemble has established itself as a leading interpreter of string quartet cycles. The members of the Pacifica Quartet are Simin Ganatra (violin), Austin Hartman (violin), Mark Holloway (viola), and Brandon Vamos (cello).

**Tickets:**
Tickets for the event are available for purchase. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the Pacifica Quartet's electrifying performance, which has been praised for its audacity and astonishing skill.

**Contact and Additional Information:**
For more details and to purchase tickets, please visit the event website.

---

Experience an unforgettable night of music with the Pacifica Quartet, where each performance promises to draw you into a world of breathtaking artistry and emotional depth.

Sunset Center Theater

The multiple Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. The Pacifica Quartet is a world-renowned ensemble in the prime of a distinguished career. We welcome the Pacifica Quartet to Cheboygan to join the ranks of some of the world’s greatest quartets who have played at the Opera House recently, including the American String Quartet, the Ariel Quartet and the Escher Quartet.

Chamberfest 2024: “Pacifica Quartet”

Cheboygan Opera House

Christ the King Catholic Church

UChicago Presents is excited to have this multi-award winning string quartet return to celebrate its 10th anniversary as the first Don Michael Randel Ensemble–in–Residence in University of Chicago’s Department of Music. 

Logan Center

UChicago Presents is excited to have this multi-award winning string quartet return to celebrate its 10th anniversary as the first Don Michael Randel Ensemble–in–Residence in University of Chicago’s Department of Music.

Mandel Hall

Renowned for their definitive performances of works spanning three centuries, the Pacifica Quartet pairs one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s late masterpieces for string quartet with three works by American masters, including a new work by composer James Lee III, written for the quartet and Metropolitan Opera soprano Karen Slack under a commission by Carnegie Hall, Baltimore’s Shriver Hall, Chamber Music Cincinnati, and Chamber Music Detroit.

Pacifica Quartet & Karen Slack, soprano

Detroit Country Day School - Upper School

When the Pacifica Quartet and guitarist Sharon Isbin join forces, magic happens. They’ll begin with Sharon Isbin’s own arrangement of Vivaldi’s delightful Guitar Concerto in D. Joseph Schwantner's Song of a Dreaming Sparrow was commissioned by the 92nd Street Y in New York and received its world premiere last November. It’s the second work Schwantner composed for the multiple Grammy Award-winning guitarist. The title is a line from Thoreau’s, “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack River” a narrative of a boat trip Thoreau took with his brother John in 1839: “At intervals we were serenaded by the song of a dreaming sparrow.” The collaboration resumes with the catchy Fandango from Boccherini’s Guitar Quintet No. 4. Beethoven’s astonishing and profound late string quartet in A minor concludes the program. Its famous third movement entitled “Song of Thanksgiving to the Deity from a convalescent in the Lydian mode” is a prayer of gratitude following illness and an expression of joy for the gift of life. Don’t miss this evening of extraordinary artistry as Sharon Isbin and the Pacifica Quartet take the stage in Harris Concert Hall!

Recital: Pacifica Quartet and Sharon Isbin

Aspen Meadows Resort

String quartet and soprano in a program featuring James Lee III's "A Double Standard" premiered by the same ensemble in Carnegie Hall in 2022.

TLI Presents: Pacifica Quartet and Karen Slack, soprano

Tanglewood Music Center

BSO TMC String Quartet Class with the Pacifica Quartet

Recognized for its virtuosity, exuberance, and daring repertory choices, the Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet — Simin Ganatra (violin), Austin Hartman (violin), Mark Holloway (viola), Brandon Vamos (cello) — has achieved international recognition as one of the finest chamber ensembles performing today. Formed in 1994, the ensemble quickly won chamber music’s top competitions, including the 1998 Naumburg Chamber Music Award. For its Wallis debut, the quartet is joined by the brilliantly multi-faceted Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, an exceptional soloist in his own right. These spectacular musicians will bring the beauty and depth of chamber music to their Wallis debut.

Anthony McGill & The Pacifica Quartet

The Walls Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Pacifica Quartet: Simin Ganatra, violin; Austin Hartman, violin; Mark Holloway, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello

Auer Hall

Join the acclaimed Pacifica Quartet and legendary film actor Sigourney Weaver for a moving evening of music and storytelling that celebrates the enduring spirit of American resilience and transformation.

Pacifica Quartet with narrator Sigourney Weaver

Sixth & I

The Pacifica Quartet celebrates America 250 with a program featuring Samuel Barber’s Quartet Op. 11 with its moving Adagio movement, two new works by Jennifer Higdon and Gabriela Lena Frank, and Antonin Dvorak’s evocative American string quartet.

The Pacifica Quartet

The Pacifica Quartet’s second 2026-27 program commemorates the 200th anniversary of the death of Ludwig van Beethoven with two of his late quartets: the F major Opus 135, and the B-flat major Opus 130 with its original finale, the Grosse Fuga.

Pacifica Quartet

Apr 3, 2026

Pacifica Quartet: Simin Ganatra, violin; Austin Hartman, violin; Mark Holloway, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello

Apr 12, 2026

Pacifica Quartet with narrator Sigourney Weaver

Oct 10, 2026

The Pacifica Quartet

Mar 27, 2027

The Pacifica Quartet

Oct 7, 2025

Pacifica Quartet

Dec 3, 2024

Anthony McGill Clarinet & Pacifica Quartet

Pacifica Quartet