Arts on Main is hosting New York City-based string quartet the Bergamot Quartet in Gloucester this month as part of its Artist in Residence program.
The Artist in Residence program brings artists of different fields to stay in Gloucester while they work. Since arriving, the quartet has been busy rehearsing and promoting their debut album, “In the Brink.”
The quartet is made up of violinist/composer Ledah Finck, violinist Sarah Thomas and Amy Tan a violist, and cellist Irene Han. The four met during their graduate experience at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Currently, the members of the quartet are students at New York City’s Mannes School of Music where they are the Student Resident String Quartet. The four said they study under the guidance of the Faculty Resident String Quartet and founders of the program, the JACK Quartet.
The Peabody Institute reached out to Mollie Stewart of Arts on Main and recommended the quartet as its Artists in Residence. Finck said that they didn’t know what they were getting into but it has been a positive and productive experience so far.
The time they’ve had in Gloucester has been valuable, said the quartet. Han said that the waterfront view from where they are staying can be distracting, but they’ve been able to get a lot of work done.
Finck said that on an average day the four spend up to five hours rehearsing together and at least one hour on their own. They have to make time for their course work as well.
The group has also spent a lot of time promoting their upcoming album, “In the Brink,” which is named after one of Finck’s compositions.
To promote and raise money for the album, the quartet is in the middle of their fundraising campaign, Bergafest. Bergafest has been filled with live-streamed concerts, listening parties, and interviews with composers of the pieces they perform on the album.
The quartet had the chance to perform in front of a live audience, something they haven’t been able to do in some time. Through Arts on Main, the quartet played a pop-up concert last Thursday in front of the Gloucester Museum of History.
This Saturday, the Bergamot Quartet will play another concert in Gloucester at Arts on Main from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Seating is limited. To reserve seats, call Arts on Main 804-824-9464.
To find out more information about Bergafest go to bergamotquartet.com where you can find links to their fundraiser and videos of recorded performances.