Different Strokes for Friendly Folks [slash] Edward Arron & Friends

Edward Arron, cellist with deeply rooted ties to Caramoor, is on a mission to warm up your ears after this long and sleepy winter finally meets its end, and he's bringing in four talented friends with him to get the job done. "My inspiration for this program is centered around camaraderie," says Arron. "Ultimately, I think the performance of these festive works in the intimate Music Room at Caramoor will illustrate how music is completely ageless once musicians are put in the same room together. That is the essence of Caramoor, too: people from all different generations and perspectives coming together to share artistic ideas democratically, in the spirit of making great music." Joining Arron in March are two celebrated musicians he's admired since he was a child, Toby Appel (viola) and Pamela Frank (violin), and two exceptionally talented artists he has come to know more recently, Mark Holloway (viola) and Arnaud Sussmann (violin). Arron first had the opportunity to collaborate with Appel and Frank at a festival in Colorado, when he was 13 years old. "I was invited as a young, budding apprentice and they were both there as distinguished artists. When we played together, they were each so incredibly kind to me. Since that time, I have been inspired by them both as I have gone through different stages of my career. I am particularly excited to be collaborating with Pam at Caramoor, a place with which we both have a long and special relationship." (Frank serves as Artistic Director for the Evnin Rising Stars mentoring program, and Arron was a participant of the program in its early years, before becoming a mentor himself.)

"The quality of these particular pieces, heightened by the intimate nature of the Music Room, will come across as the quintessential chamber music experience ... no pun intended." - Edward Arron

Arron describes the string quintet (in this case, a string quartet, plus an extra viola) - a genre that he particularly loves - as a veritable dining table. "The addition of just one personality to the more familiar quartet formation changes the entire chemistry of the playing and listening experience. With five artists, there is almost a symphonic richness to the texture, and all of the instruments are in a constant dialogue. It is an accumulation of interactions that produces an absolutely festive, celebratory, and sublime sound." For those music lovers who aren't as familiar with the classical repertoire, this is a great place to start. "I think the most interesting thing to do when listening to a string quintet is to pay attention to the dialogue that occurs between the musicians; you're watching a story unfold. You're listening to the compositions of genius who have assembled these incredible musical puzzles, and all of the parts come together in performance like a joyful dinner party." Learn how Arron got his start pulling "casts of characters" together for performances. Hear Pamela Frank and Edward Arron perform with a different group of comrades. Meet violinist Arnaud Sussmann. Listen as Toby Appel takes on Debussy's Sonata for flute, viola, and harp. Watch as Mark Holloway disperses advice for budding musicians. Catch these fabulous five as they heat up the Music Room this March.   More from this series: Meet the Folksingers (Part 1)  / Exploring American Favorites / Edgy. Invigorated. Chamber. /  Meet the Folksingers (Part 2)