Martha Caplin and Kathryn Caswell, violins

Diann Jezurski, viola

Melissa Meell, cello

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The Primavera String Quartet, winner of the 1977 Naumburg Chamber Music Award, was founded in 1975 and served as quartet-in-residence at the Queensboro Community College.

They appeared on television shows and were the centerpiece of an Off Broadway play, "The Columbine Quartet Tonight."

"Fresh, spirited, yet sensitive playing..Hearing Debussy's Quartet played in tune with bright, forward tone was like sudden Spring sunshine." - Financial Times, London

" "These four spirited women are...first and foremost classical musicians of the highest order. They won the prestigious Naumburg competition in 1977 and are developing a major reputation in the serious music field. They have a glowing sound and a finely shaped sense of ensemble..."

- Joanne Sheey Hoover, The Washington Post

As part of their Naumburg prize they were awarded a commission by Paul Chihara, "Primavera" Quartet which had its world premiere on the Primavera Quartet's Naumburg concert on April 17, 1978 in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center.

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Naumburg Concert, April 17, 1978, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

Primavera String Quartet, 1977 Chamber Music Award

Martha Caplin and Kathryn Caswell, violins; Diann Jezurski, viola; Melissa Meell, cello

Program

Haydn: String Quartet in G Major, Op. 76, No. 1

Paul Chihara: "Primavera" Quartet, World premiere, Naumburg commission

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8

Schubert: Quartet in D minor "Death and the Maiden"

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Review Excerpt, The New York Times, April 18, 1978

Primavera: String Quartet Performs at Tully Hall

"First-class string quartets do not spring full-blown out of the forehead of Jove...the group, composed of four women in their 20's gave a concert last night in Alice Tully Hall in recognition of winning the 1977 Naumburg Chamber Music Award.

On its way to taking a place among the ranking international quartets...the tone was always delicately blended, and a light quick vibrato was a feature...displayed tremendous poise and musical sophistication throughout the program..they melded their talents into a persuasive whole, attacking and releasing with complete confidence and unanimity.

The world premiere of Paul Chihara's "Primavera," which was commissioned by the Naumburg Foundation. A 15-minute piece in three sections played without pause, made good sense as a design and rose to ghostly beauty in the central piece, with all four instruments giving out faintly whistling harmonies.

The night's finest performance came in Shostakovich's Quartet No. 8...the Primavera played out this difficult hand like old Shostakovich experts, drawing the piece to its close in a starky simple and unaffected style...it was an impressive coup...for young quartet to pull off." - Donal Henahan

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