The Hunt Quartet of the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s Up Close and Musical® program is excited to perform on the Fall Music Appreciation Series!  Up Close and Musical® unfolds through a series of school visits by the Hunt Quartet, where individual musicians visit classrooms to conduct exciting and interactive lessons that send students on a hunt for the concepts of melody, rhythm, expression, and form. The full string quartet then demonstrates these concepts in a mini concert for all classrooms.

Paran Amirinazari received a Doctorate Degree from UW-Madison and is a founding member and Artistic Director of the Willy Street Chamber Players. She is a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s first violin section. She also studied at the University of Nevada-Reno and the New England Conservatory of Music. Outside of the classical music world she has collaborated with various rock bands and has toured with Ian Anderson (from Jethro Tull), Larkin Grimm, and Beat Circus.

Hillary Hempel is a member of Madison Symphony Orchestra second violin section and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Prior to joining MSO and WCO, Hillary was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Hillary studied at the Colburn Conservatory of Music and with Almita Vamos at Northwestern University where she received her master’s degree. She enjoys playing in both orchestras and playing chamber music. When Hillary is not playing the violin, she enjoys running, hiking, and spending time outdoors in any season.

Jennifer Clare Paulson, violist, moved from Chicagoland to Madison to get her doctorate at UW-Madison with a University Fellowship and as a member of the graduate string quartet. In addition to her years in regional orchestral and chamber music settings, JCP counts her time in Chicago’s improvised and experimental music scene as an important part of her musical DNA. She will soon be completing her training to become a therapeutic musician through the Music for Healing and Transition Program. She also teaches out of her own studio, and works at Spruce Tree Music and Repair where she repairs and restores new and vintage string instruments.

Trace Johnson, originally from Madison, WI, has appeared as a chamber musician, soloist, and orchestral musician in various settings in the United States and worldwide. Johnson currently holds cello positions with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and formerly, the Sarasota Orchestra. He has recently appeared with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Present Music, Florentine Opera, Candlelight, Madison New Music Festival, LunART, Arthaus Orchestra, and Nu Deco Ensemble. Trace is a regular performer and presenter at the Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival in Fairhope, AL, where he is one of two co-artistic directors. Johnson is also a regular performer at the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, a critically acclaimed summer chamber music festival in Madison, WI.

general admission - free-will donation