String quartet selections accompany Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and winter-themed pieces by local poets.
In a one-of-a-kind fusion of literature, music, and visual arts, the Griffon String Quartet presents two children’s concerts to engage the senses and spark creativity in young minds and to foster a love for classical music.
The centerpiece of the children’s concerts is an exquisite picture book on Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” illustrated by master artist P. J. Lynch, along with additional winter-themed pieces from local poets.
In the picture book, “Lynch illustrates Robert Frost’s classic poem with moody, snow-filled watercolor and gouache landscapes,” according to Publishers Weekly. The story follows the poem, opening with a single human figure astride a gray horse, stopped along the edge of a forest as the rider looks upon the trees. Tender moments bring warmth to scenes that are generally cold and solitary.
An instrument petting zoo will allow children to touch and hold string instruments under the supervision and guidance of professional musicians. The concerts are at 6:00pm on January 11 at the Brown County Library’s Pine Street Branch in Green Bay and at 2:00pm on January 13 at the Door County Library in Sturgeon Bay. Admission is free.
One of the most vibrant and engaging quartets of its generation, the Griffon String Quartet was formed in the fall of 2018 as a collaboration led by Midsummer’s Music. The GSQ enriches the lives of children and adults throughout northeast Wisconsin through concerts, workshops, and music education outreach. Extraordinary musicians who have performed with orchestras and ensembles around the globe, they are equally dedicated to music education and inspiring the next generation of music lovers. Each member of the Griffon String Quartet has advanced degrees and significant professional experience, both as educators and performers, and they have been recognized for “their youthful vigor, which is absolutely infectious!”
Midsummer’s Music was co-founded in 1990 by Jim and Jean Berkenstock, long-time Door County summer residents and principal orchestral players with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. What began as two concerts among friends has become one of the Midwest’s most anticipated chamber music series, bringing thousands of chamber music enthusiasts from around the globe to the magical Door County Peninsula.
For more information visit www.midsummersmusic.com
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” picture book: https://www.midsummersmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening-book.jpg
For calendar listings
Griffon String Quartet Winter Retreat
January 5 and January 6, 2024, times vary
Community Concert January 6, 1:00pm
Hope United Church of Christ, Sturgeon Bay, WI
Griffon String Quartet Children’s Concert
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
January 11, 2024, 6:00pm
Brown County Library Main Street Branch, Green Bay
Griffon String Quartet Children’s Concert
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
January 13, 2024, 2:00pm
Door County Library, Sturgeon Bay
Gather with the Griffon Miniconcert
January 11, 2024, 12:00pm
First Presbyterian Church, Green Bay
Doctors in Recital
Griffon String Quartet
January 27, 7:00pm
Weidner Center, Green Bay