JACK appointed new Quartet in Residence at Mannes School of Music

The JACK Quartet has been appointed as Quartet in Residence at the New York-based Mannes School of Music, taking over from the Orion String Quartet, which held the position for 24 years. 

The contemporary music ensemble begins its tenure this autumn, giving concerts, coaching ensembles and leading master classes, amongst other duties. Its appointment to the role marks the Centennial of the New School, of which the Mannes School is a part, and the players are expected to embark on projects that involve both the New School and its whole College of Performing Arts.

Mannes will also host JACK’s new Frontiers Festival, a multi-faceted festival of contemporary music for string quartet that will launch in the autumn of 2019 and will feature newly-commissioned works by Clara Iannotta, Catherine Lamb, Tyshawn Sorey, and Lester St. Louis.

In 2020, the second year of its residency, JACK will lead a new Graduate String Quartet program at Mannes. Applications for this program will available later this year. 

The Mannes School of Music has a long history of resident string quartets and piano trios, including, in addition to the Orion String Quartet, the Galimir Quartet and The Mannes Trio, the latter of which was founded by former Mannes president Leopold Mannes. The JACK Quartet announcement comes on the heels of the creation of the Philip Glass Institute at The New School’s College of Performing Arts, featuring the Philip Glass Ensemble as resident ensemble.

Richard Kessler, Executive Dean of the College of Performing Arts and Dean of Mannes stated: ‘We are thrilled to have the JACK Quartet make Mannes and The New School their educational home. We greatly admire JACK and believe they are a perfect fit for the increasingly contemporary and experimental profile of Mannes.’

He continued, ‘I have no doubt that their magical approach to repertoire, performance practice, teaching, and inventive projects and partnerships will inspire our students and larger community across The New School. At the same time, we are deeply grateful to the Orion String Quartet for their 24 years of exemplary performances and teaching.’