With Julia Wolfe’s riveting Early that summer as its centerpiece, this program places her Minimalist idiom in relation to two of its stylistic forebears, each of which also reaches unprecedented heights by minimizing an aspect of musical process. Gabriel Fauré’s late piano quintet op. 115, anticipating Wolfe’s persistent motor, avoids clear climaxes and, instead, infiltrates the listener’s soul with a continuously woven fabric of evolving colors. Beethoven’s late quartet op. 135, by abbreviating musical gestures to the point of mysteriousness, makes the notes point to an ethereal beauty beyond what can be expressed in sound. Taken together, the three works illuminate one another for an unforgettable experience. 

The Atria Quartet formed in 2025 as the University of Maryland School of Music’s fellowship string quartet and serves as the school’s flagship chamber string ensemble. Named after the upper chambers of the heart, the Atria Quartet aims to connect with audiences through their heartfelt musical performances. Prior to forming the quartet, the musicians appeared in festivals across the United States, Europe, and Asia, and now their repertoire spans an equally broad reach, programming works from the Baroque to Modern eras and from traditional to underrepresented composers. In their first year together, the quartet’s engagements include the Art Music Society Chamber Music Series, the Society for Minimalist Music 10th International Conference, and recitals at the university and in the community. The members of the Atria Quartet are Mari Jo Downing (MM’27) and Gaby Echiverri (MM’27) on violin, Nicholas Wilbur on viola (DMA’27), and John Pablo Rojas (MM’27) on cello. Beyond their performances as a quartet, the members enjoy reading new works by composition students and frequently appear as principal players in the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Opera Orchestra. The Atria Quartet is grateful for the guidance and mentorship of their coaches at UMD, Dr. Eric Kutz and Dr. James Stern.