From classical to contemporary, baroque to tango, this chamber group’s out-of-the-box approach is sure to leave you inspired and wanting more. You do not have to be a lover of classical music to enjoy this performance.

Amarantos Quartet is made up of violinists Lauren Hastings and Meagan McIntyre, violist Bryan Brash, and cellist Timothy Garrett. They come together from an incredible range of musical backgrounds, and their performances are proof of that.

Hastings went to the ballet for the first time when she was five and left knowing that she wanted to play the violin. Passionate about ‘hearing the dance and seeing the music’ ever since, Hastings has thrown herself into experiencing music of all genres and from cultures across the world.

Trained at Walnut Hill School for the Arts and the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and then studying music at Boston University, Univsersity of Southern Maine, and the Royal College of Music in London, Hastings maintains her perspective of classical music being part of a wider world. Today she is a member of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, but also collaborates with musicians of different traditions, including Alhan, a Middle Eastern music ensemble. It is the richness and variety of these influences that inspire her to work tirelessly at the art of violin playing.

McIntyre became interested in music after seeing Itzhak Perlman on Sesame Street in the early 1980s. She went on to study at the New England Conservatory of Music and Indiana University. McIntyre has enjoyed both teaching and performing in the States and abroad.

McIntyre has had the privilege of appearing at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. She was on the string faculty at the Portland Conservatory of Music and a visiting violin instructor at the Popular Institute of Art Education in Porto Alegre, Brazil. McIntyre appreciates the natural beauty of Maine – but loves a sunny escape during the long winters.

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Brash had no idea what a viola was until the eighth grade, when the music director of his new school suggested he sign up for the strings program. Then he went to a performance of Bach’s famous Brandenburg Concerto no. 6, written principally for two violas – and was smitten.

With a childhood that spanned Kingston, Jamaica to Richmond, Virginia, Brash’s musical career is equally eclectic. He came to Maine following a tour with indie-folk artist Vinnie Ferra, an album-recording with singer-songwriter Brian Marquis, and recordings for MTV’s Jersey Shore. Brash commented that, predictably, his viola solo was soundtrack for a romantic break-up moment in the show. Brash is reveling in Portland’s hive of local culture and looking to bring chamber music back to its intimate and sociable roots.

Garrett studied cello at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, University of South Maine, and Bowdoin International Music Festival. Garrett has performed with orchestras in Montreal, Italy, and New York’s Carnegie Hall. He is a member of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra as well as regularly performing with Symphonic groups across the region.

Equally at home on stage with non-classical groups, Garrett has performed and/or recorded with such groups as Rustic Overtones, Barefoot Truth, and Grammy Award winners Ray LaMontagne, Mannheim Steamroller, and Noel Paul Stookey. He believes that Amarantos Quartet is the perfect way to bridge the gap between old and new musics.

The Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center is at 18 Bradley Street. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $5 for students. Preorder tickets at fryeburgacademy.org/tickets or by calling 207-935-9232. Tickets will also be available at the door one hour before the performance.


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