The University of Iowa String Quartet Residency Program—coordinated by violist Elizabeth Oakes, lecturer in the UI School of Music—will present the Bartók Cycle by the Chiara String Quartet at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus.

The Bartók Cycle Concert I will be held on Dec. 6, featuring String Quartet Nos. 1, 3, and 5. The Bartók Cycle Concert II will take place on the Dec. 7, featuring String Quartet Nos. 2, 4, and 6.

Renowned for bringing fresh excitement to traditional string quartet repertoire as well as for creating insightful interpretations of new music, the Chiara String Quartet (Rebecca Fischer and Hyeyung Julie Yoon, violins; Jonah Sirota, viola; Gregory Beaver, cello) captivates its audiences throughout the country. They are currently Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University and Hixson-Lied Artists-in-Residence at the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The Chiara’s recent honors include the nomination of its recording of Jefferson Friedman’s String Quartet No. 3 for a Grammy Award in 2011 and the ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award for Adventurous Programming for the 2010-11 season. Past awards include a top prize at the Paolo Borciani International Competition, winning the Astral Artistic Services National Audition, and winning First Prize at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.

The School of Music is part of the Division of Performing Arts in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to attend the concert, contact the School of Music in advance at 319-335-1603.

For a UI arts calendar and details about upcoming events visit the Arts Iowa website.