Nov. 21: The Jupiter String Quartet Performs Music Shaped by Deep Expressions of Love and Admiration – Presented by Chamber Music Concerts
Photo of the Jupiter Quartet by Todd Rosenberg available in high resolution here
The Jupiter String Quartet Performs at Southern Oregon University
Music Shaped by Deep Expressions of Love and Admiration
Presented by Chamber Music Concerts
“technical finesse and rare expressive maturity” – The New Yorker
Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 3:00pm
Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall
450 S Mountain Ave. | Ashland OR
Tickets and More Information
Ashland, OR – On Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 3:00pm, the Jupiter String Quartet – “an alert and energetic ensemble, with plenty of communication and an individual sonic sheen” (Cleveland Plain Dealer) – will perform in Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall (450 S Mountain Ave.). Presented by Chamber Music Concerts, the program will include String Quartet in A minor, D 804, “Rosamunde” by Franz Schubert, Canções da America by Clarice Assad, Respiri by Juri Seo, and and Johannes Brahms’ Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51, No. 2.
The Jupiter String Quartet is a particularly intimate group, consisting of violinists Mélanie Clapiès and Meg Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel (Meg’s older sister), and cellist Daniel McDonough (Meg’s husband, Liz’s brother-in-law). Founded in 2001, the ensemble is firmly established as an important voice in the world of chamber music, and exudes an energy that is at once friendly, knowledgeable, and adventurous. They give concerts all over the country, and are artists-in-residence and faculty at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The quartet chose its name because Jupiter was the most prominent planet in the night sky at the time of its formation and the astrological symbol for Jupiter resembles the number four.
The Jupiter Quartet’s program for Chamber Music Concerts is composed of music from across cultures and time periods, shaped by deep expressions of love and admiration. Austrian composer Franz Schubert wrote his “Rosamunde” string quartet in 1824, and the piece represents a turning point in his music from lighter and more fanciful work, to a more intense, darker tone. Schubert’s failing health and a troubled love affair are often thought to be the causes behind his artistic shift. Brazilian American composer, pianist, vocalist, and educator Clarice Assad is known for writing music with evocative colors and rich textures, which she imparts to Canções da America, a work celebrating the many cultures and histories found in South America through its own musical styles, from the Milonga dance of Uruguay to the choro of Brazil and the Tango of Argentina. Assad dedicated the piece to Argentine composer Claudia Montero, who died in 2021. Korean-born American composer Juri Seo wrote her piece Respiri in 2016, in memory of British composer Jonathan Harvey. Seo wrote her dissertation on Harvey’s string quartets and corresponded extensively with him during his final year of life. Respiri is influenced by Harvey’s Buddhist beliefs as well as his musical approach. Brahms’s expansive and lyrical Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51, No. 2 was premiered in 1873 by the string quartet of his good friend, Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim. Joachim's motto was “Frei, aber einsam” (Free, but lonely). In the opening movement of the quartet, Brahms encoded a special message for his friend, using the pitches F-A-E and also F-A-F to counter with, “Frei, aber froh” (Free, but glad). This personal connection between composer and performer was also evident in Brahms' use of Hungarian melodies and musical gestures in the second movement and the Finale.
The Jupiter Quartet has performed in some of the world’s finest halls, including New York City’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, Boston’s Jordan Hall, Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes, Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center and Library of Congress, Austria’s Esterhazy Palace, and Seoul’s Sejong Chamber Hall. Their major music festival appearances include the Aspen Music Festival and School, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Rockport Music Festival, Caramoor International Music Festival, Music at Menlo, Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival, the Banff Centre, the Seoul Spring Festival, and many others. In addition to their performing career, they have been artists-in-residence at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign since 2012, where they maintain private studios and direct the chamber music program. Their chamber music honors and awards include the grand prizes in the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition; the Young Concert Artists International auditions in New York City; the Cleveland Quartet Award from Chamber Music America; an Avery Fisher Career Grant; and a grant from the Fromm Foundation. From 2007-2010, they were in residence at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Two. The Jupiter has recorded extensively for the Marquis Classics label, Azica Records, and Orchid Classics.
For more information, visit www.jupiterquartet.com.
For Calendar Editors:
Description: The Jupiter Quartet, described by The New Yorker as having “technical finesse and rare expressive maturity,” is presented by Chamber Music Concerts. The award-winning ensemble’s program features music shaped by deep expressions of love and admiration from across cultures and time periods, featuring the works of Franz Schubert, Clarice Assad, Juri Seo, and Johannes Brahms.
Concert details:
Who: Jupiter String Quartet
Presented by Chamber Music Concerts
What: Music by Clarice Assad, Juri Seo, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms
When: Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 3:00pm
Where: Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall, 450 S Mountain Ave, Ashland, OR 97520
Tickets and information: https://chambermusicconcerts.org/concerts/jupiter-quartet