Gimme Formosa

In today's corpse-strewn music marketplace, how can four young people harness their get-in-the-van spirit without losing their catgut? Easy: Start a string quartet, the original rock band — all the road warring and none of the drummer jokes. In the shadow dimension of classical performance, the old violin-violin-viola-cello setup is hotter than American Idol, with no shortage of passion, facility and good looks on display. Formed just six years ago by players who even now have barely turned 30, the Formosa Quartet has already taken home the big prize at the London International String Quartet Competition and recorded a much-praised disc for giant label EMI. Tonight the Formosas will crank some Bedrich Smetana, kick a little Antonin Dvorak (with UMKC faculty violist Scott Lee sitting in) and tear the roof off Shih-Hui Chen's String Quartet No. 5. (The group commissioned Chen's piece in 2007, so it can play the sucker any way it pleases.) The quartet performs at 7:30 p.m. at White Recital Hall (4949 Cherry, on the UMKC campus). Tickets cost $25; call 816-235-6222.
Sat., Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m., 2009