Tesla Quartet to play soup kitchen, other unexpected Tulsa venues
BY MICHAEL OVERALL World Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
2/13/13 at 8:08 AM
Kimberly Patterson once gave a solo performance in a locked-down asylum. But after a week in Tulsa, that might not count as the most unusual concert of her career.
New York's Tesla Quartet, with Patterson as the cellist, surprised patients with half an hour of Mozart in the hallways of the Children's Hospital at Saint Francis on Tuesday.
"I've never played in a mall, either, and we're going to one later," Patterson said. "It should be interesting."
But perhaps not as interesting as later this week, when Tesla will bring Wolfgang Amadeus to a soup kitchen and a few other unexpected venues.
"The strangest place we've ever played, I think, is coming up this week," Patterson said, "when we'll be playing at a bus terminal."
The quartet formed five years ago at the prestigious Juilliard School. They quickly established an international reputation as some of the best young musicians in classical music today.
They're in Tulsa this week to deliver "Love Letters from Tesla," including a traditional performance Sunday afternoon at the Performing Arts Center.
But because Tesla was going to be in town for most of the week, Chamber Music Tulsa wanted to make the most of it.
"We're putting them in front of people who wouldn't ordinarily get to see them," Executive Director Bruce Sorrell said.
"It's our way to share it with the community and hopefully add a little sunshine in the middle of winter."
Wednesday will find Tesla at downtown's Central Library for a free concert at noon.
On Thursday morning, they will entertain the breakfast crowd at the Iron Gate ministry for the homeless.
And rush-hour commuters can hear Tesla at the downtown transit terminal starting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
The quartet will have an "open rehearsal" Saturday morning at Harwelden Mansion, which will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the group prepares for a performance.
Tesla Quartet performances
- Noon Wednesday, Central Library, Fifth Street and Denver Avenue, free
- 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Iron Gate, Sixth Street and Cincinnati Avenue, free
- 4:30 p.m. Thursday, transit terminal, Fourth Street and Denver Avenue, free
- 11 a.m. Saturday, "open rehearsal" at Harwelden, 22nd and Main streets, free
- 3 p.m. Sunday, Tulsa Performing Arts Center, $25 or $5 for students
Tickets are still available for Sunday afternoon's concert. Call 918-596-7111 or go online to tulsaworld.com/mytix
Original Print Headline: Classics out of a concert hall
Michael Overall 918-581-8383
michael.overall@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Tesla Quartet's Ross Snyder (left), Michelle Lie, Kimberly Patterson and Megan Mason play chamber music Tuesday at the Children's Hospital at Saint Francis. It is one of several performances that the group will give this week in Tulsa. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World
Patient Byran Hammons listens to the Tesla Quartet play Mozart on Tuesday at the Children's Hospital at Saint Francis. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World
Tesla Quartet's Kimberly Patterson (left) and Megan Mason play Tuesday at the Children's Hospital at Saint Francis Children's Hospital. The performance was sponsored by Chamber Music Tulsa. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World
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