The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 17

17 Howto Pull Strings at the White House THE SCRANTON TIMES, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1977 vf j'i' When Someone asks the members of the Audubon Quartet how the string ensemble got its name, C. Thomas Shaw, the groups 28-year-old cellist, likes to respond: We wanted a name that would be the first listing in the Yellow Pages under String Quartets. Actually, the chamber music group that has been in residence at Mary wood College for the past three years was christened on a sunny day in New Orleans, while violinist Janet Brady, 27, was waxing her car in Audubon Park. The name just popped into my head," recalls Ms. Brady.

If the violinists answer sounds whimsical and the cellists humorous, the reason is obvious to anyone who spends some time talking with the four young'musicians who are quietly revolutionizing the serious-music scene in Scranton: Whimsy and humor are antidotes for the rigors of the quartets existence. ByTONYCANNELLA Times FOCUS Writer We $pend so many hours together," says Ms. Brady. "Six hours a day for the last six months. Dennis Cleveland, the first violinist who at 30 is the oldest member of the group, laments: The travel we do sounds romantic, but its difficult to have a social life here, and on the road its impossible.

I find it hard to find time to do my laundry. The ensembles 23-year-old violist, Doris Led-erer, says, "Ive wanted to take some night courses here at Marywood, but I cant even do that. Clearly, there is more to their lives than beautiful music. In addition to claustrophobia, lack of time and the hassles of the road, the members fret about rickety finances and the challenge of staking their young adulthood on such a chancy commodity as chamber music. "But why dont you ask us if wed rather do something else? says Shaw.

FOCUS complies. The four answer, No, in unison, as if they were playing one of their notes. The Audubon Quartet came to Marywood in the fall of and Ms. Brady were among the original members; about a year ago Ms. Lederer and Mr.

Cleveland replaced the other two, Gregory Fulkerson and Larry Bradford. Though all of the present members live in the Scranton area, none are natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Cleveland comes from Indiana, Ms. Brady from Georgia, Ms.

Lederer from Washington state, and Mr. Shaw from Florida. A Case of Mutual Aid Their coming to Marywood was a case of the college helping the quartet, and vice versa. "Its almost impossible for young quartets to exist, explains Shaw. Chamber music does not have mass appeal; its a specialty even in the music world.

With this harsh reality in mind, an organization called Artist Development, of Binghamton, N.Y., several years ago conceived what Shaw calls a brainstorm. The scheme matches quartets with places of residence. Marywood is one of those places. In return for support and some sustenance from the college, the quartet offers concerts periodically, presents lectures and demonstrations, and coaches students in Marywoods department of music. Indirectly, it also enhances the cultural atmosphere of the Scranton area, since many of its performances are open to the public.

The artist-in-residence concept is funded partially by federal and state grants. Gradually, with little fanfare, the Audubon Quartet has been making a name for itself in American chamber music. Two of the groups recent accomplishments did much to enhance its reputation. One was its fine performance in May at an international music competition at Evian, France. The group placed first in the contemporary music category, defeating quartets from Hungary and Rumania.

It also won second prize in the classical competition. En route to the finals in France, the musicians from Marywood eliminated quartets from Israel, the Federal Republic of Germany, Great Britain and France. The Aadabon Qaartet of Marywood College make sweet maslc at recent White House dinner honoring the prime minister of Is The second act of distinction recently lodged by the quartet was an appearance in the White House on June 19. The members played compositions by Mendelssohn and Beethoven after a dinner given by President and Mrs. Carter for Prime Minister Menahem Begin of Israel.

The White House appearance was a heady experience for the four young musicians. They treasure the thank-you letters received from the President after the dinner; one of the members said, We even held the four letters up to the light, to see if the signature was real or a stamp. It was genuine. All four were somewhat different. Carter is the first President since Kennedy to show any overt interest in the arts," says Shaw.

The quartet was impressed by the Presidents management of its appearance at the dinner; they said he introduced them from memory, not forgetting their names and where they were-from. It was amazing, recalls Cleveland. He wasnt using notes. He even remembered the opus numbers of what we were going to play, says Ms. Brady.

The President Listened The group also was impressed by Carters insistence that there should be no serving during the musicians performance; he asked the diplomats at the dinner to give the group their full attention. The Audubon Quartet received an invitation to play at the White House after Shaw wrote the President a letter decrying the American news medias lack of attention to the groups performance at the competition in France. I sent the letter to Carter to express that only in America could the arts be of such low standing, recalls Shaw. The arts are taken for granted. We wanted to know if this administration was interested." Cleveland, who once played in the Atlanta String Quartet says, "I felt that if the letter got through to the President, wed receive an invitation to play.

I knew of his love for classical music. v' On the morning of FOCUSS interview'withthe quartet members, the weather was cool and clear. Sunlight washed into the small room of Marywoods Fine Arts Building, where the ensemble was beginning a rehearsal for a probable September appearance in another international competition, this time in Munich, Germany. How about Debussy? one of the members said. Ah, no, said Cleveland.

Too much energy. With the choice of number still up in the air, the members of the quartet tuned their instruments. Then someone suggested Mendelssohn. The others approved. In moments, bows were poised for the first note.

Cleveland, the first violinist, nodded his head slightly, and the playing began. Soar with the Music Chamber music, as its name suggests, is designed for playing by a small group of musicians. There must be at least two instruments, but sometimes there are a dozen or more. There is no conductor. If there is a leader at all, it is the first violinist.

In chamber music, each part is important, says Ms. Brady. Each part is soloistic. Chamber music can be played by a variety of instruments, but the string quartet is the prototype of a musical group for the genre. The repertoire is rich; it ranges from classical pieces, like the one played at the Audubon Quartets rehearsal, to contemporary works, like the Lawrence Moss quartet that the group performed in its prize-winning appearance at Evian.

After listening to the quartets rehearsal of the piece by Mendelssohn, FOCUS asked the members what they think about while they are playing. Ms. Brady said she finds herself soaring with the music if things are going right during a performance, but much of her attention is on the technical aspects of her playing. In a concert youre transported, interjected Shaw. Thats what its all about, when youre The audience can get you going.

rael. President Carter's enthusiasm for their performance lingers In the memories of the four young musicians. An audience, said Cleveland, can turn you on or turn you off. So I try not to allow the audience to have any effect on me, and attempt to bring the same level of playing to any situation. But its hard to shut out the audience, Ms.

Brady said. In general, the group seems satisfied with its reception by the Scranton community; the mem- bers realize that chamber music cannot compete with popular music in terms of mass acceptance. They noted that they draw music lovers from the seven-county area to their concerts, and said that, in most cases, a hall with a large audience would not be the ideal setting for one of their performances. Despite these expressions of equanimity, at least one member of the quartet believes the community could be more supportive of its efforts than it is. Chamber music is something a community should be proud of, says Shaw.

The cellist indicated he would feel better if more residents of the area attended the quartets concerts. The note of disappointment registered by Shaw was counter-balanced by the quartet members' expressions of gratitude toward those in the area who have helped them. They mentioned Anne V. Liva, a Scranton music teacher who befriended the members and opened her house to them while they were looking for apartments in the area. They said they appreciated the glowing newspaper reviews their performances have received from Harold Mundy of The Scranton Times.

They used adjectives like fantastic and suppor- tive to describe Jane MqGowty, the chairman of Marywoods music department. Wherever we perform, we always make it known that were from Marywood College, said Ms. Brady. Munich on the Mind The quartets impact on Marywoods music program is evident: Whereas the college had only two string majors in its music department at the end of the last academic year, it will have a total of eight in the fall, because six new students of the violin or cello have decided to enroll there. Thats very good for a school of this size, commented Cleveland.

FOCUS asked the members about the lon-grange goals of the quartet. Cleveland responded, Wed like 100 concerts a year, a full-time residency at a very good music school, and recording. We have a start on all of those things. At the time of the interview, they were thinking mostly of Munich and the 26th International Music Competition there. They still were not sure if they would be able to raise the money to go to le contest, which runs from Sept.

6-23, but they were rehearsing as if they would be there the next day. One of the members said, Munich is a very prestigious competition. If you win, you really have it made." Beyond Munich are three concerts scheduled for next year in New York, where the quartet already has performed in Carnegie Hall. And, of course, the group will be making appearances and coaching musicians in Scranton during the next year. Ms.

Brady believes the Audubon Quartet will make it in the highly competitive music world if its members can stand the first few years of poverty. When they feel glum, they remind each other that what they are doing as a group is much more satisfying than playing anonymously in a large orchestra, and certainly more in keeping with their personalities than punching a time clock or sitting behind an office desk. Sometimes I dream of having a nine-to-five job, Cleveland confessed, but He didnt have to finish the sentence. In a few moments, he and the other members of the Audubon Quartet stopped talking and took up their bows to rehearse another Mendelssohn selection, the Quartet in Flat. The reason for Clevelands but would have been clear to anyone listening to the sweetly plaintive sound filling the sun-filled room at Marywood.

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