Violinist Quinton I. Morris Recipient of a 2011 Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award

[Quinton I. Morris]

Jeffrey James Arts Consulting tells AfriClassical that Prof. Quinton I. Morris is one of six persons awarded by the Mayor of Seattle; 300 people were nominated:

“Violinist Quinton I. Morris is a recipient of a 2011 Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award. The announcement was made by the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Mayor Mike McGinn announced the recipients. The Seattle Arts Commission recommended the recipients from a pool of more than 300 public nominations. The Mayor’s Arts Awards recognize the contributions made by artists, arts and cultural organizations and community members who make a difference through arts and cultural activities.

“The official press release said this:

Dr. Quinton Morris enjoys a multifaceted career as a concert violinist, chamber musician, teacher, director and founder of The Young Eight String Octet, the nation’s only string octet comprised of distinguished African American string players from the nation’s most prestigious music schools. Morris earned a Master of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory and a Doctor of Musical Arts at The University of Texas at Austin.

“Morris is the Director of Chamber and Instrumental Music and Assistant Professor of Music at Seattle University, where last week he won the Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Work Award from the College of Arts and Sciences. According to one nominator, 'Morris' long list of achievements and awards is impressive, but even more impressive is his determination to make a difference for aspiring young musicians – particularly for youngsters of color who do not always have role models close at hand in the classical community.'

Morris has performed solo and chamber music performances across the country and around the globe, and recently marked his New York City recital debut with soprano Indra Thomas and pianist Maimy Fong to a sold out audience at Carnegie Hall. More about Dr. Morris at http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/finearts/default.aspx?id=3216.” “The recipients will be honored at the Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Seattle Center.”

Violinist Quinton I. Morris in New York Debut with Indra Thomas Jan. 15 at Carnegie Hall

[Dr. Quinton I. Morris and Indra Thomas]

Violinist Quinton I. Morris and soprano Indra Thomas will present their New York City recital debut on Saturday, January 15 – 2:00 PM at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 154 West 57th St. in Manhattan. This concert is presented by MidAmerica Productions. Dr. Morris will be joined by Ms. Thomas and pianist Maimy Fong in performances of William Grant Still’s Suite for Violin and Piano, Korngold’s Drei Lieder, Op. 22, Massenet’s Elegie, Saint-Saens’ Le Bonheur est chose legere, Chausson’s Le Colibri and works by Rachmaninoff, Tosti and others.

Tickets are $40 general admission ($20 students/seniors) and are available at CarnegieCharge - 212-247-7800 or http://www.carnegiehall.org. More about the concert at http://www.midamerica-music.com/weill_current.htm.

Indra Thomas is rapidly establishing herself as one of the world's major sopranos. In 2006 she sang Tippett’s ‘A Child of Our Time’ to open the BBC Proms and then as her debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis. She has worked with conductors Sir Roger Norrington, Riccardo Chailly, Vladimir Spivakov, Jesus Lopez Cobos, Lorin Maazel and performed with the New York Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lyon, London Symphony, Boston Pops, Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, and Gewandhaus Orchestra. She has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Festival de Saint Denis, Carnegie Hall, and Tokyo’s Oji Hall. Visit her at http://indrathomas.com/.

Dr. Quinton I. Morris is Director of Chamber and Instrumental Music, and Assistant Professor of Music at Seattle University. He has been on the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2007. He enjoys a multifaceted career as a concert violinist, chamber musician, teacher, director and founder of The Young Eight String Octet. Dr. Morris has given solo and chamber music performances in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Notable concert appearances include a recital with Indra Thomas and Byron Schenkman at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, concerto performances at the Champs-Elyseé Theatre in Paris, the Guildhall School in London, the Roman Catholic Theatre in Bonn, Germany and the Austin Chamber Music Center Chamber Orchestra in Austin, Texas. He is the recipient of numerous competition awards including The Boston Conservatory Chamber Music Honors Competition, the Louisiana Junior Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artist’s Concerto Competition, Seattle Philharmonic Concerto Competition, the NAACP ACT-SO Competition, the North Carolina Federation of Music Clubs String Competition and the Ebony Showcase Music Award. More about him at http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/finearts/default.aspx?id=3216.

Violinist Quinton I. Morris Plays Music of James P. Johnson with Seattle University String Faculty April 30

[Quinton I. Morris]

Violinist Quinton I. Morris will join other members of the string faculty of Seattle University for a program of chamber music on Friday, April 30 – 7:30 PM at Pigott Auditorium on the campus of Seattle University, 901 12th Ave in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Morris and others will perform a program of classical and contemporary chamber works, including selections by Beethoven, Brahms, James P. Johnson and contemporary composer Michael Mikulka.

The April 30 performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call 206-296-5360 or visit http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/Default.aspx. As the artistic/executive director and founder of The Young Eight String Octet, Dr. Morris has performed with his group in chamber music recitals across the country. The Young Eight, America’s only string octet is comprised of distinguished African-American string players from the nation’s prestigious music schools and conservatories. He is Assistant Professor of Music, Fine Arts and Global African Studies at Seattle University. [The African American composer and pianist James P. Johnson (1894-1955) wrote and performed both stride piano works and classical music, including Yamekraw: A Negro Rhapsody. Johnson is profiled at AfriClassical.com]