Musical Arts Society presents St. Petersburg String Quartet
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
First violinist Alla Aranovskaya, second violinist Alla Krolevich and cellist Leonid Shukayev met more than 25 years ago when they were students at the prestigious Leningrad Conservatory in Russia. The three of them are founding members of the St. Petersburg String Quartet formed in 1985. Their current violist, Boris Vayner, joined the ensemble in 2005, and the four will entertain an island audience on August 12 during the sixth summer concert presented by the Nantucket Musical Arts Society.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. PETERSBURG STRING QUARTET

The quartet members, who all live in Ohio, have performed several times on Nantucket. Aranovskaya said they have a large repertoire of about 100 pieces, and while their music is sometimes dramatic it depends on which composer's music they are performing. They recently played at the Library of Congress and received an outstanding review from the Washington Post.

"You might think discipline, passion and impetuousness inhabit different universes, but the St. Petersburg String Quartet has morphed the three into a powerful musical persona," the reviewer wrote.

In its island concert, the quartet will perform Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet Number 11 with seven movements, which was completed in 1966; Maurice Ravel's Quartet in F with four movements, which premiered in Paris in 1904 and Franz Shubert's String Quartet Number 13 in A Minor ("Rosamunde") with four movements, which premiered in 1824.

The quartet has received a Grammy nomination and "Best Record" honors in Stereo Review and Gramophone, was part of an opening night performance of Mostly Mozart at Lincoln Center, had a five-year residency at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and has performed in concert around the world. Their prizes span a first place at the All-Soviet Union String Quartet Competition, a silver medal at the Tokyo International Competition of Chamber Ensembles and first prizes at the Vittorio Gui International Competition for Chamber Ensembles and the International Competition for Chamber Ensembles, among others. Their latest CD, released this summer, includes music by Ravel and the Debussy Quartet. I

The concert will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at the First Congregational Church. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for students, and may be purchased at Antiques Depot on Easy Street, the Lochtefeld Gallery on Fair Street, at the door or by calling 228-1287. The Society is celebrating its 50th season presenting quality, professional concerts on Nantucket. Meet the Artists events are free at 8 p.m. at the Unitarian Church on Mondays prior to concerts.