BETHEL — BAAM at The Gem is excited to welcome the Rasa String Quartet to Bethel on Sunday, February 4 at 2 p.m. Come find out why jazz standards and Mozart belong together in the same program! Jazz meets counterpoint in Rasa’s upcoming winter concert, telling a tale of two seemingly disparate styles that come together beautifully, ending in the exhilarating finale of Shostakovich’s unrelenting ninth string quartet.

Rasa String Quartet finds its niche exploring the musical space where classical and folk traditions intersect and influence one another. Formed in 2019, the Boston-based ensemble consists of violinists Maura Shawn Scanlin and Kiyoshi Hayashi, violist Emma Powell, and cellist Mina Kim, who are graduates of the New England Conservatory, the Shepherd School of Music, and Yale University. They are winners of the 2022 Associazione Europea Di Musica E Comunicazione International Chamber Music Competition (Italy,) the 2021 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition (ATL,) the 2020 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition (OH,) and the 2022-23 ensemble in residence at Phillips Exeter Academy. The quartet can be found collaborating with the preeminent folk musicians of today, performing their own programs in venues and festivals around the country, and participating in artistic and educational residencies at a variety of institutions.

By exploring the connection between music and storytelling at the heart of folk traditions, Rasa String Quartet delivers engaging and accessible programs that showcase works from a variety of cultures and highlight unknown composers. They seek to educate their audiences by contextualizing the genres, styles, and composers they present, inviting their listeners to approach both familiar and unfamiliar sounds with an open and curious mind. More information about the Rasa String Quartet can be found at: www.rasastringquartet.com Doors open at 1 p.m., Rasa String Quartet plays at 2 p.m.

The Gem Theater is located at 48 Cross Street Bethel. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are ‘Pay What You Can,’ ranging in price from $0 to $35. All funds raised will benefit future BAAM programming. Purchase your ticket in advance on The Gem’s website: www.thegemtheater.com. Bethel Area Arts & Music (BAAM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

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