S1.E4 - JACK Quartet

John Pickford Richards of the JACK Quartet joins us to discuss the evolution of the ensemble from a fledgling student group to an international powerhouse for contemporary music; navigating personnel changes; strategies for working with both new and familiar collaborators; recording over forty-one albums; managing JACK Studio for commissions, workshops, and recording projects; and approaches toward improving inclusivity with careful programming and personnel.

Hailed by The New York Times as “our leading new-music foursome”, the JACK Quartet is one of the most acclaimed, renowned, and respected groups performing today. JACK has maintained an unwavering commitment to their mission of performing and commissioning new works, giving voice to underheard composers, and cultivating an ever-greater sense of openness toward contemporary classical music. Over the past season, they have been selected as Musical America’s 2018 “Ensemble of the Year”, named to WQXR’s “19 for 19 Artists to Watch”, and awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant.

Resources discussed in today’s episode:

- JACK Studio

The transcript for this episode can be found at here.

For more information about the JACK Quartet, please visit them at their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Soundcloud, and Vimeo.