The renowned Molinari String Quartet is one of Canada's premiere ensembles in the field of new music, with Junos and many other awards to its credit. We look forward very much to presenting them in Winnipeg. The string quartet idiom has continued to lure composers to attempt to meet its challenges.

The Molinari Quartet brings us four diverse works from this repertoire: two Canadian, one French, and one Russian, none of which has been performed in Winnipeg. Henri Dutilleux' s Ainsi la nuit is one of the finest quartets of the 20th century, a work which is both profoundly varied and deeply unified. Michael Matthews' Quartet no. 3 is a new addition to the quartet genre. The Quartet no. 3 by Alfred Schnittke constructs a rich polystylistic world, with quotes from Lassus, Beethoven, and Schnittke's own music. The Molinari Quartet has established itself as a leading interpreter of the music of R. Murray Schafer; their performance of his 11th Quartet will be an exciting addition. This program of quartets will provide a broad perspective on the richness of this instrumental genre.