Arts on 817 returns with Ton Beau String Quartet

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Strathmore’s only concert series, Arts on 817, is continuing its string of concerts with Toronto’s Ton Beau String Quartet – the second concert of the series’ season.
The quartet was founded by four graduate students from the University of Toronto in 2010, and prides itself on giving voices to young composers, women composers and those from under-represented communities.
Violinists Jeremy Potts and Bijan Sepanji, viola player Alex Mcleod and Strathmore cellist Sarah Steeves engage in a wide range of music from the finest classical quartet compilations to compositions being created today.
On Saturday, Nov. 24, the quartet will be bringing a program that combines impressionism and Spanish influence with religious music influences and harmonics as well as classical to Strathmore. The musicians will be performing Joaquin Turina’s L’Oracion del Torero, Riho Maimets’ compilation Sanctus and Claude Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor Op. 10, and follow up their concert with a performance and workshops at École Brentwood Elementary School the following Monday morning.
For Steeves, who grew up in Strathmore and whose mother was influential in the creation of the concert series, returning to Strathmore and aiding in the development of its musical influence is the icing on the cake.
“For me to be able to bring my quartet, which is one of my favourite ways in which I get to make music, and bring that home and share that not just with my family but with friends and everyone from the community, that’s just really special,” Steeves said.
“Everybody has their own relationship with music and that’s part of what I love. No matter how many times you perform Debussy String Quartet, or listened to it or it’s your first time, that one concert is going to be that special moment when you were all in that same place sharing that music.”
The Ton Beau String Quartet has visited Alberta four times in the past for performances and teaching engagements, which included workshops at École Brentwood Elementary School and a private function during the Alberta 55+ Summer Games in Strathmore. Their upcoming performance is part of a western tour that includes concerts and teaching opportunities in Strathmore, Calgary and Lethbridge.
All members of the quartet actively coach and teach several times a week, either privately or with the Sistema Toronto Academy. As part of an impressive resumé, the quartet has also been involved in workshops and masterclasses at Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Toronto, Vanderbilt University and the Westport Chamber Music Festival, and were instrumental in the success of a concert series at the University of Toronto Art Centre.
Last year, the Ton Beau String Quartet recorded their first CD, The Silent Voices Project, that highlighted 14 pieces influenced by poems written by children who died in concentration camps. The quartet also heavily focuses on performing pieces by young composers and women.
“Music tends to be fairly white and fairly male, and when you ask people on the street to name five composers, they would name five dead white guys,” said Steeves. “So making sure that the future of music is more inclusive and represents the people that make music and love music is something that I hope we can all contribute to and make sure happens.”
Arts on 817 launched their second season on Oct. 27 with a performance by ReMix: powered by Revv52, a band with custom arrangements of classic songs from the last five decades. Following the success of last year, the second season features double the concerts and a greater reach of musical talent.
Ton Beau String Quartet will perform music by Debussy, Maimets and Turina on Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Strathmore United Church. Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for those under the age of 17.