"A Radical Welcome" by the Boston Public Quartet returns to the Strand Theatre (Boston, MA.)
Boston Public Quartet
Returns to the Strand Theatre with
"A RADICAL WELCOME: SOURCE CODE"
A program celebrating the music of five landmark women composers from the late romantic period to the present!
One Night Only!
Performance:
May 22, 2025 at 7:30pm
BOSTON’S STRAND THEATRE, 543 Columbia Road, Boston, MA. 02125
TICKETS:
“Pay What You Want”
Available at: bostonpublicquartet.com
BUY TICKETS
ABOUT THE SHOW
PRESS RELEASE:
THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET (BPQ) will present "A RADICAL WELCOME: SOURCE CODE," - a program celebrating the music of five landmark women composers from the late romantic period to the present, at The Strand Theatre on Thursday, May22nd, 2025 at 7:30pm.
"We are thrilled to present 'A RADICAL WELCOME' again this year,” said Betsy Hinkle, founder of THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET. “We encourage the audience to be active participants by joining the musicians in conversations about what they’re experiencing through our music- the energy that flows between us as part of that dialogue is extraordinary!”
This year’s event is subtitled "SOURCE CODE," borrowed from Jessie Montgomery’s composition of the same name which opens the program.
In addition to being Musical America’s 2023 Composer of the Year and a Grammy-winning composer, violinist, and educator, Hinkle describes Montgomery as “a close friend of the BPQ.”
Along with Montgomery, the other women showcased are:
- French composer Melanie Bonis (1858-1937)
- Boston’s own Amy Beach (1867-1944)
- Peruvian-American contemporary composer Gabriela Lena Frank
- Jamaican-British contemporary composer Eleanor Alberga OBE.
“They have all created pieces that capture both their own voice along with sounds and rhythms influenced by others,” Hinkle continued. “During the concert, together with the audience, we’ll decode what those influences, or sources are. For example, in Jessie’s case, those sources include Alvin Ailey, Langston Hughes and Ella Fitzgerald.”
Performing at the Strand on May22nd will be BPQ's Betsy Hinkle along with:
- Violinist Grant Houston
- Violist Jason Amos
- Cellist Nicholas Johnson
- Pianist Joy Cline Phinney
- Flutist DeShaun Gordon King
This year's program features performances in collaboration with students (ranging from primary grades through high school) from two local arts education organizations: Boston-based musiConnects and Brockton’s Rose Conservatory.
“Utilizing the entire Strand space, the BPQ and guests will delight the ear, eye, and soul,” explained Hinkle.
After Montgomery’s "SOURCE CODE" “the event will flow and the lines between audience and performer will blur, as well as between student and teacher. As audience participation is core to BPQ events, the musicians will moderate conversations with the concertgoers following each piece, exploring where the music comes from and what it means to us.”
The program includes:
- “Theme and Variations for Flute and String Quartet” by Amy Beach, the first successful American female composer of large-scale art music (featuring guest flutist DeShaun Gordon-King).
- Beach’s "Gaelic Symphony" which was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896.
- “Piano Quartet in D Major, Op. 124” by Mel Bonis.
- “Tres Homenajes (Three Tributes) for Piano Quintet” by Gabriela Lena Frank.
- “String Quartet No. 2” by Eleanor Alberga OBE, a Jamaican-born composer (who now resides in the United Kingdom) whose music is deeply influenced by modern dance.
Founded in 2007, THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET is dedicated to normalizing the amplification of historically excluded voices in classical music; musicians, composers, students, and audience members.
At home performing on a street corner in Mattapan Square, the Kennedy Center in D.C. and the Harvard Musical Association in Boston, THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET was created to connect, inspire, and innovate as an ensemble-in-residence in Boston’s diverse neighborhoods.
THE BPQ will be serving as a resident ensemble at the newly created Phillips Andover summer program "Musical Minds."
DeShaun Gordon-King is known for his soulful tone and mesmerizing phrasing. Gordon-King has given performances throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, earning him recognition as a Trevor James Alto Flute artist.
Gordon-King grew up surrounded by jazz and gospel music and began his classical studies while at Duke University.
Inspired by the worlds of music and spirituality, DeShaun Gordon-King is passionate about programming that blends together jazz, gospel, and classical to create unique and healing concert experiences.
Gordon-King is a vocal advocate for new music, especially works by composers of African and Latinx heritage.
MusiConnects is a non-profit organization created to foster youth development and community connection through the craft of string playing.
MusiConnects’ accessible education and performance programs builds lasting relationships between professional musicians, students and residents in the Boston neighborhoods of Roslindale and Mattapan.
The Rose Conservatory provides access to exceptional arts education and performance for the Brockton community, fostering creativity, artistic growth and well-being for individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
"A RADICAL WELCOME: SOURCE CODE" by THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET will be performed at The Strand Theatre on Thursday, May22nd, 2025 at 7:30pm.
“Pay What You Want” tickets are available at bostonpublicquartet.com.
BUY TICKETS
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET (BPQ)
At home performing on a street corner in Mattapan Square, the Kennedy Center in D.C. and the Harvard Musical Association in Boston, THE BOSTON PUBLIC QUARTET was created to connect, inspire, and innovate as an ensemble-in-residence in Boston’s diverse neighborhoods. Founded in 2007, the BPQ is dedicated to normalizing the amplification of historically excluded voices in classical music; musicians, composers, students, and audience members.
ABOUT THE STRAND THEATRE
THE STRAND THEATRE is a venue for a diverse range of performing arts, cultural programming, and community events. Its mission is two-fold:
- to engage the multicultural residents of Boston, with a special commitment to youth and the Upham’s Corner community;
- and to act as a catalyst in strengthening the fabric of the neighborhood.
543 Columbia Road
Boston, MA. 02125
