Ed Loves Bacon - Interview: Ralph Farris of ETHEL
The string quartet ETHEL strikes a fresh cord for the classical genre.
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- JAM SESSION: The group ETHEL is not your everydy string quartet.
Imagine a classical string quartet performing with a Chicago hip-hop drum line, or picture them jamming with Native American flutist. Yeah, it may seem a bit far fetched but the postclassical “string band” ETHEL brings these types of collaborations to the stage regularly.
Formed over a decade ago, the Julliard-trained musicians: Cornelius Dufallo (violin), Mary Rowell (violin), Ralph Farris (viola) and Dorothy Lawson (cello) moved beyond the confines of the traditional quartet standards and pushed the envelope by exploring the synergy between other music genres.
Recently CL spoke with ETHEL’s viola player, Ralph Farris to discuss the group, its music and the landscape of classical music.
ETHEL performs in Atlanta on Friday, October 22 at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University.