College of Arts & Sciences Frank J. Natale Concert Series

An evening of music, movement, and visual art that brings hidden stories to light presented in conjunction with the Quinnipiac Theater Program.

In Afghanistan, where music and art are forbidden, women have been silenced and pushed out of society. Some Afghan women refuse to be silenced. Four women in particular have connected with UK composer Sadie Harrison, Hartford CT based string ensemble Cuatro Puntos, and Middletown CT ballet company Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet (ECB) to bring their stories to life through music and dance. The score commissioned by Cuatro Puntos is based on the artworks and poetry by commissioned female Afghan artists and poets. These artworks were transported out of Afghanistan through an organization called Beyond Skin, a Northern Ireland-based intercultural arts collective working to build peace and social cohesion. All of the artworks will be on display at the performance.

Cuatro Puntos Ensemble is ensemble-in-residence for Cuatro Puntos, an organization in Hartford, Connecticut dedicated to intercultural dialogue through the writing, performance, and teaching of music. Fanfare Magazine has described them as having “a great depth of sound”. Cuatro Puntos Ensemble collaborates with local, national, and international guest artists to produce genre-defying and culturally significant concert programing and album recordings. They have performed extensively throughout the United States as well as in Bolivia, Brazil, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Afghanistan. The ensemble aims for the highest in artistic excellence while centering underrepresented, silenced, and persecuted performing musicians and composers.

Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet is a professional dance company comprised of artists whose goal is to create spaces where art can help nourish and enrich communities. Ekklesia empowers movement by utilizing a full spectrum of emotional and physical vocabulary to explore the intersections of theology, dance, and social justice, addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and human suffering in order to promote healing and deep human connection.

The half piano/half percussion icarus Quartet, Winner of the 2019 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition and praised by the Wall Street Journal for their “virtuosity, precision and unflagging energy,” presented their “Eclectic Electric” program of recent commissions.

As the name suggests, this set list has something for everyone – sampled lo-fi hip hop beats, merengue music driven by a Dominican güira, and at one point eschews all of icarus’ acoustic instruments in exchange for two synthesizers, a drum machine, and a MIDI mallet keyboard as chamber music meets Electronic Dance Music.

Having recently toured with Béla Bartók’s Sonata for two pianos and percussion and three companion pieces commissioned for and written expressly for the group by compositional titans Martin Bresnick, Viet Cuong, and Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Higdon, iQ explores the other end of their spectrum of aesthetic while championing early career composers whose voices fit beautifully within the Quartet’s sensibilities. Five of the six works comprising “Eclectic Electric” are the culminating results of icarus’ iQ Tests program, an annual call for scores that draws applications from students at premiere institutions around the world, leading to the selection of two iQ Test Scholars who each receive a paid commission, mentorship from a renowned composer, a season-long residency with the ensemble, live performances, and a professionally produced music video. Alumni of this program have achieved continued success, garnering commissions from ensembles and organizations such as the Cabrillo Festival, Sandbox Percussion, the Barlow Endowment, the New York Youth Symphony, and the Albany Symphony. 

Upcoming projects for icarus Quartet include the commercial recording of “Bartók Rebórn,” touring Ruby Fulton’s multimedia Wilderness Suite with images and data from geographer Teresa Cavazos Cohn and videos by eight independent filmmakers, and an evening-/album-length collaboration with composer/steel pan virtuoso Andy Akiho.

Praised by the Wall Street Journal for their “virtuosity, precision, and unflagging energy,” the half piano/half percussion icarus Quartet has toured domestically and abroad, won the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, and given new life to old masterpieces as well as the future of their instrumentation. Whether championing the music of Béla Bartók and their recent companion work commissions from Martin Bresnick, Viet Cuong, and Jennifer Higdon, engaging with human/environmental relationships in a multimedia production with composer Ruby Fulton and eight video artists, or collaborating with Andy Akiho for his next evening/album-length creation, icarus’ work and classical-meets-arena rock concerts are always pushing boundaries and offering immersive experiences for their audiences around the world.

Founded in 2025 by retired CT Music Educator Rich Szulczewski, The Infinity Saxophone Quartet is a lively, eclectic group incorporating jazz standards, contemporary classical, big band, folk, ballads and classic popular music. Featuring soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, they play everything “from Beethoven to Queen, with a whole lotta fun in between.” 

Masterwork as well as small ensemble composers were featured. The program serenaded the audience with classical works such as “Moonlight Sonata” and “Waltz of the Flowers”, an Irish Folk Dance, a tone painting depicting a city skyline, “Elements” of Fire and Water, a Ragtime piece, a lively Tango and well-orchestrated jazz standards. 

Much of the program was enhanced by drum set percussion as the group rounded it out and amped it up with classic hits from Glen Miller, Duke Ellington and Simon and Garfunkel. In addition, a special rendition of “Birdland” and a unique arrangement of a well-known Queen song were fan favorites.

Combining familiar sonic palettes with lyrical precision, this program was intimate and inspiring. From the history of last names to following a dream, Raina sewed a tapestry of both personal and collective stories, and how we find each other in between.

Nestled within the original work, this program also included arrangements of classic songs. From Jazz standards to Joni Mitchell, Raina’s unique voice bridged genre and style to create a cohesive and engaging night of music.

An artist in residence at Millay Center for the Arts (2023), Ancram Center for the Arts (2024), and member of the Joe’s Pub Working Group (‘24-’25), Raina is dedicated to authentic work that staddles many traditions and sparks conversation and connection within the performance space and within each listener.

Since 1994 the Adaskin String Trio has won over audiences with exuberant playing and programming that blends classical masterpieces with unexpected treasures. Critics agree - their playing has been hailed for “vigor, precision and stylistic certitude” (Charleston Gazette) as well as “spontaneity, intensity and charm” (Peninsula Review). The trio has toured throughout the USA and Canada performing at venues such as the The Frick Collection in New York, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, and in Boston, Los Angeles, Toronto, Montreal, and Chicago.

Founded in Chicago, the ensemble is co-led by dholi Kabir Dalawari, tubist Akshat Jain and trombonist Catie Hickey. Most recent season highlights include performances for the South Asia Institute, DePaul and Loyola Universities and annual Holi celebrations for the city of Chicago.

Butter Chicken is a collaborative effort by musicians across several disciplines to explore the intersection of South Asian music, a baraat band and a New Orleans-style brass band. We explore South Asian cultural practices in music to study how to blend the sounds of traditional South Asian music with musical genres that are more modern and American. We play with a wide range of emotions, from introspective and meditative to upbeat dance music. The group features a rotating cast of musicians from the Chicago area including Kyle Brooks (saxophones), Karli Bunn (saxophones), Constantine Alexander (trumpet), Millie Ahern (trumpet) and Gustavo Cortiñas Fouilloux (drums).

In our first full season, we enjoyed performing at the Global Peace Picnic and South Asia Institute. In 2022, the band was awarded a 2022 IAP Grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), which enabled us to collaborate with Rahul Sharma and Maninder Singh from Funkades.