83R11669 JGH-D

By: Naishtat H.R. No. 703

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Since 2009, the Artisan Quartet of Austin has been delighting audiences with its spirited performances of string quartets by classical and contemporary composers, and the group is being featured in two concerts during the 2012-2013 season of the Austin Symphony; and

WHEREAS, The origins of this distinguished ensemble date back to the late 1980s, when violinist Richard Kilmer and violist Bruce Williams joined with two other musicians to form the Austin String Quartet, which was then renamed the Camilli Quartet; over the next few years, this lineup performed 40 of classical music's greatest string quartets, ranging from pieces by Beethoven to Bartok; and

WHEREAS, After the two other members accepted positions overseas, Mr. Kilmer and Mr. Williams continued to perform informally with a variety of musicians as the Austin String Quartet, and during those years, cellist Douglas Harvey became a regular member of the group; and

WHEREAS, The Artisan Quartet was created in 2009 with the addition of violinist Paula E. Bird, and since then, the group has performed in many places around Central Texas, including the Victoria Bach Festival, the Blanco Performing Arts Association Concert Series, the Twilight Concert Series in Jonestown and Lago Vista, the Saint Cecilia Music Series in Austin, and the Salon Concert Series in San Antonio; in addition to the great Classical era string quartets by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, the group regularly plays pieces by the great Romantic composers Tchaikovsky, Grieg, and Borodin, as well as modern works by Philip Glass and Roberto Sierra; and

WHEREAS, In March 2012, the quartet made its Carnegie Hall debut in New York, playing before a sold-out crowd in the Weill Recital Hall Chamber and Solo Music Series, and members of the ensemble are nearing the end of the two-year Genius at Play series, in which they are performing a complete cycle of all the Beethoven string quartets; during the 2012-2013 season of the Austin Symphony, the Artisan Series is featuring these four gifted musicians in two performances in the Smith Family Chapel at Riverbend Church; and

WHEREAS, For the past four years, the Artisan String Quartet has helped to show that Austin is indeed the Live Music Capital of the World in more ways than one, and their stirring performances in Austin, across Texas, and around the nation continue to add to their growing reputation among classical music lovers everywhere; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature hereby honor Richard Kilmer, Bruce Williams, Douglas Harvey, and Paula E. Bird of the Artisan Quartet for their talent and dedication and extend to them sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the group as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.