Kaitlyn Richards ’29
News Editor
During the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 28, the Rasa String Quartet performed on campus, for a spooky twist on their classical repertoire in celebration of the festivities of the Halloween season. Held in Brooks Music Hall, the concert featured eerie renditions of classical pieces, as well as Halloween classics, which captivated students, faculty, and community members alike.
Formed in 2019, the Boston-based ensemble features violist Emma Powell, violinist Maura Shawn Scanlin, violist Kiyoshi Hayashi, and cellist Mina Kim, has become popular for its storytelling concerts as an innovative approach to classical music. Their signature style focuses on fusing classical string technique with folk traditions, which creates an emotionally resonant performance to enhance the audience’s experience. Together, the group has won numerous prestigious awards from competitions including the Chamber Music in Yellow Springs, the Plowman Music Competition, and even the MTNA Chamber Music Competition.
Earlier that day, the musicians offered a Chamber Music Masterclass for students to attend. As a group, the musicians aid in providing community members the opportunities necessary to explore the “connection between music and storytelling at the heart of folk traditions,” according to the Rasa String Quartet’s program for the evening. The masterclass provided a behind-the-scenes look for the creative processes behind the evening’s performance, giving the students more insight as to the creative process required for creating musical arrangements and concert sets.
As the concert began, Hayashi introduced the program by explaining that the evening would be a “traditional story arc of a horror story” promising that the audience would experience “fleeting romance” as well as the journey to experience “the beauties and the hauntings of the afterlife.” The program then opened with the piece “Eight Colors for String Quartet,” by Tan Dun which was immediately blended with the “Prelude from Psycho Suite” by Bernard Herrmann, which is a Halloween favorite that set the eerie tone for the evening.
Other pieces included “Moon Over a Ruined Castle” by Rentaro Taki which continued the spookiness of the orchestral compositions, along with “Jig of the Blood Moon/Kylebrack Rambler” by The Fretless which created a suspenseful tone as the music sped up and the audience was transported to the afterlife. To close out the evening, the group performed the iconic piece, “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson and audience members were visibly tapping along, quietly singing the lyrics, and even dancing in their seats to the song many deem the Halloween anthem.
“The evening of music was an incredible experience as the Rasa String Quartet brought emotion and passion to every piece of music,” stated one member of the audience. “The energy from each one of the performers made the composition feel alive in order to capture the Halloween spirit. I would implore anyone who has the opportunity to see them perform to attend, as they were able to tell an amazing story through a connection with music. Their performance reminded me of the intensity music, especially orchestral music can create,” the audience member continued.
Ultimately, the Rasa String Quartet’s visit to Holy Cross, which was funded by The Patrick E. Moriarty, M.D. ’57 Visiting Scholars Program, provided educational and experiential opportunities for the campus community. Through their masterclass and evening performance, the string ensemble showcased their talents for music and composition, which was an inspiring show for budding musicians. The thematic aspects of the concert, which combined music and storytelling to create a frightening Halloween show, highlighted the ingenuity of a musical set. The Holy Cross Department of Music will be holding many more events and concerts throughout the academic year, which will be a great opportunity for students to connect with music.
Featured image courtesy of Prior Performing Arts Center
Copy Edited by Lily Wasmund ’28
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