Feature Article August 28, 2002
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Quartessence plays at St. Jamesby David BrisonThis summers St. James Major concert series ended again this year with a performance by Quartessence a Kingston-based string quartet. Members of the quartet are: Gisele Dalbec-Szczesniak, lead violinist; Kathi Togh-Switzer, violin; Eileen Beaudette, viola; and Maura Rudden, cello.
The group, all of whom have been associated with the Kingston Symphony, have been playing together for 20 years. They enjoy their music, and performing with each other. They communicate effortlessly a product of playing together for so long and knowing each other both as musicians and friends. Eileen Beaudette explained the smiles they often exchange when they are playing, Sometimes we smile just because we are so pleased with how we sound, and other times it is because someone has made a mistake. This reviewer would have attributed all smiles to the wonderful sound; if there were mistakes I wouldnt have noticed them.
The close-knit performance is a pleasure to watch quite independent from the interesting music they play. They obviously like what they do and communicate that pleasure to the audience.The summer series brings a rich variety of music to Sharbot Lake. Many people have enjoyed the concerts, and several have asked me to publicly thank Marcel Giroux for organizing them again this year.
