String quartet hires its sixth first violin
NewsWe raised a quizzical eyebrow a while back when the Vega Quartet, resident at Emory University in Atlanta, hired its fifth first violin in a couple of decades.
She has now left and the Vegas have a sixth first in Dr Emily Daggett Smith.
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These days, those that can move on, do; those that can’t, don’t and keep playing. Makes one long for the days past of commitment and consistency.
Is Dr Smith accepting new patients?
She’s an extraordinary violinist.
She has a doctorate.
Is there a problem?
To play in a professional string quartet you must have LOTS of patience!
E.D.-Smith is a fine violinist. We heard her play a concerto while still a Juilliard student. Her doctorate is in performance.
A String Quartet is like a marriage between 4 people with none of the benefits. It’s amazing ANY of them last very long!
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: to lose two first violinists is a misfortune, to lose five begins to look like carelessness.
Elizabeth Fayette is a very fine violinist. She has all the qualities one would expect in a soloist of the first order, while being an excellent First Violinist for the Quartet. She will do something wonderful, I’m sure, in the future.
Currently, she is one of the revolving chamber musicians who play with the excellent Manhattan Chamber Players. She is indeed a fine player.