This program weaves together five composers from different centuries and nationalities based on their common pursuit: storytelling through music that celebrates the folk music, dances, and instruments of their culture. Opening with a selection from the celebrated Danish Folk Songs, the first piece bursts forth with  a dynamic celebration of Danish fiddling. Continuing with Haydn’s Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2, renowned for its Hungarian fiddling-inspired finale that is ripe with flashy passagework, we explore the folk music Haydn would have been immersed in during his many decades serving Hungarian royal families in the Esterhazy Palace.Rounding off the first half of our program is Sepia Fragments by Derek Charke. A Nova Scotian composer, Charke wrote this quartet in 2009 as a serene homage to Maritime fiddling, always maintaining a nostalgic quality that celebrates the beauty and soul of Canadian fiddle traditions.
 
Following intermission, we will perform Smetana’s String Quartet "From My Life." This autobiographical quartet is a lush, Romantic portrayal of Czech folk songs and dances. Jesse Montgomery’s Strum has become one of the most widely-performed quartets written in the twenty-first century, and for good reason. The work’s portrayal of banjo-like strumming and fast-paced fiddling is enthusiastic and joyful. Finally, our program will conclude with another selection from the Danish Folk Songs.