Chemistry Proves Critical to Art
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Graduate Quartet Wins National Competition
Chemistry. It’s not a music discipline, but the University of Utah’s School of Music Graduate Quartet unquestionably has achieved performance chemistry, with wins on the local, regional and national stage.
Most recently, they were named winners of the National Music Teachers Association Chamber Music Performance Competition (MTNA). After playing together for two years, it seems the Quartet’s chemistry is critical to their art.
Known as the Rosco Quartet, members Jakob Hofer and Melissa Combe on violin, Sunny Johnson on viola and Lauren Posey on cello, began their winning streak at the Utah MTNA in fall 2013.
The group then advanced to the Southwest Division competition in January 2013 and took first place. The regional win propelled the Quartet’s performance to the MTNA national stage in Chicago this March, where they won the top prize.
“No other university chamber group from Utah has won a large, national competition such as the MTNA. It is beyond exciting, especially for those four individuals, but certainly for the U as a whole,” said Hasse Borup, Strings Area Chair.
While competing with quartets from universities across the nation, including Rice, Vanderbilt and the University of Cincinnati, the cellist Lauren Posey said, “We went to the competition to honor the music and play to the best of our abilities. We focused on having a great performance, rather than taking first place.”
Each member of the Quartet will graduate from the University of Utah this spring. Both Johnson and Hofer will continue performing together as the Rosco Quartet, finding replacements for Posey and Combe who will pursue their educations and musical careers outside of Utah.
The Graduate String Quartet received travel support from the Boguslavsky Scholarship Fund, University of Utah Fine Arts Fees and the College of Fine Arts Dean Excellence Award.