Since its beginnings in 1985, the Turtle Island Quartet has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings. Made up of four virtuosos dedicated to taking the traditional string quartet format into new territory, the Grammy-winning group brings zest, humor, imagination, and brilliant technique to bear as they fuse the classical quartet esthetic with contemporary American musical styles in performances that redefine and honor both. Praised by Yo-Yo Ma as "A reflection of some of the most creative music-making today," TIQ features violinists David Balakrishnan and Mads Tolling, cellist Mark Summer, and viola player Jeremy Kittel.

The result of David's brainstorming explorations and compositional vision, Turtle Island has spent the past two and a half decades creating ingenious arrangements and originals that journey through folk, bluegrass, swing, be-bop, funk, R&B, new age, rock, and hip-hop, as well as music of Latin America and India.  The quartet’s diverse works include over a dozen recordings (including A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane, the 2008 Grammy winner for Best Classical Crossover Album), soundtracks for major motion pictures, TV and radio credits such as All Things Considered and Prairie Home Companion, and collaborations with famed artists such as clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, guitar legend Leo Kottke, and the Parsons Dance Company. In their August 2010 release, Have you Ever Been, the quartet ventures to Electric Ladyland, tackling works from and inspired by Jimi Hendrix, including David's new composition "Tree of Life."

As part of the Chamber Folk Series, a year long set of conversations with notable artists, we start off this evening with a pre-show question & answer session with the members of Turtle Island Quartet, moderated by Derk Richardson.

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Listen to a track from Turtle Island Quartet: