Philomusica String Quartet
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Resident String Quartet
“They bring cohesion, intelligence, and sensitivity…and they decide what sound is right for what music.” Tom Strini, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2009.
2026-2027 Season
October 12 | February 1 | April 19
The Philomusica Quartet is excited and honored to return as the resident string quartet at the Wisconsin Lutheran College. True to their name, (philo – love of + musica – music), the Philomusica Quartet formed in 2008 to create an outlet for sharing and expressing their love of chamber music. Recognized for their compelling programing, the versatile Philomusica Quartet, continues to delight their growing audience with jewels of the string quartet repertoire and win the praise from critics. Each member brings a wealth of experience as versatile performer and educator to the group.
Philomusica Quartet 1st Concert: Father, Friend and Rebel
Monday, October 12, 2026 7:30 PM
Schwan Concert Hall
8815 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53226
PROGRAM:
- FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN: String Quartet in C major, Op. 76 No. 3 “Emperor”
- WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: String Quartet No. 21 in D major, K.575 “Prussian”
- LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 74 “Harp”
“Witness the definitive evolution of the string quartet through its three greatest Viennese champions. This program offers a masterclass in musical dialogue, emotional depth, and structural genius. It is an essential, bucket-list performance for both seasoned chamber music lovers and newcomers alike.”
Philomusica Quartet 2nd Concert: Shadows, Turmoil, and Resonance
Monday, February 1, 2027 7:30 PM
Schwan Concert Hall
8815 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53226
Shinae Ra and Peter Szczepanek, guest cellists
PROGRAM:
- DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH: String Quartet No.3 in F major, Op.73
- LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN: Grosse Fugue, Op. 133
- ANTON ARENSKY: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op.36 “Two Cellos”
"Step into the shadowy and extreme sound-worlds of Beethoven, Arensky, and Shostakovich. From the ironies of Soviet-era turmoil to the radical Vienna and the mournful depths of 19th-century Russia, this program reveals the profound emotional resonance of the string quartet."
Philomusica Quartet 3rd Concert: Viennese Court and Magyar Fire
Monday, April 19, 2027 7:30 PM
Schwan Concert Hall
8815 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53226
Eunice Kim, guest pianist
PROGRAM:
- FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN: Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 33 No. 2, "Joke"
- LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in C major, Op. 59 No.3 “Razumovsky”
- BÉLA BARTÓK: Piano Quintet in C major, Sz.23
“Experience an unforgettable musical journey tracking the ultimate evolution of chamber music. The evening ignites with Haydn’s "Joke" Quartet, where elegant Viennese wit takes center stage, playfully upending expectations with the most famous false ending in classical music history. The energy deepens as Ludwig van Beethoven’s "Razumovsky" Quartet No. 3 takes the stage, infusing classical architecture with blazing, symphonic drama and raw Russian folk themes. Finally, the concert reaches its boiling point with Bartók’s rarely performed, massive Piano Quintet in C major unleashing the lush, untamed romanticism and fierce, driving rhythms of the Hungarian heartland. From royal Austrian salons to fiery Eastern European passion, this program promises an evening of breathtaking contrast, high-wire virtuosity, and pure sonic transformation.”
About Philomusica
Formed in 2008, Philomusica String Quartet – currently in residence at Wisconsin Lutheran College – continues to delight their loyal and ever-growing audience with jewels of the string quartet repertoire and win the praise of critics.
True to their name, (philo – love of + musica – music), violist Nathan Hackett, cellist Adrien Zitoun, and violinists Jeanyi Kim and Alexander (Sascha) Mandl, formed the quartet in to create an outlet for sharing and expressing their love of chamber music. Each member brings a wealth of experience as versatile performer and educator to the group.
In addition to their renown Milwaukee concert series, their reputation has brought them to performances at institutions such as Yale University, Roosevelt University, UW-Parkside and UW-Milwaukee, Lakeland College, Nicolet College, Oconomowoc Arts Center, Fine Arts at First, and the Searl Pickett Chamber Music Series, among others. The quartet has performed in live broadcasts (WFMT, Chicago) as part of the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts. They also have been heard in the series Sunday Afternoon Live from the Chazen. The Philomusicians have recently collaborated with highly esteemed artists such as Mathieu Dufour (Principal Flute, Berlin Philharmonic), Susan Babini (Principal Cello, Milwaukee Symphony), Todd Levy (Principal Clarinet, Milwaukee Symphony), Rene Izquierdo (Professor of Guitar, UW-Milwaukee), Melinda Lee Masur (Pianist, Lee Trio) and Winston Choi (Head of Piano, Roosevelt University) among others. The Philomusica Quartet is featured in High Autumn, works by James Grant – a CD release with clarinetist William Helmers. Past residencies have included the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
