Lots of Enthusiasm for Midsummer’s Music String Quartet

Midsummer’s Music resident string quartet performs in a visit to the Peninsula Pulse office. Photo by Grace Johnson.

The Midsummer’s Music resident string quartet was out and about recently to spread holiday spirit to people across Door County and greater Green Bay.

The quartet performed in two concerts and spent 14 days going caroling to 25 businesses, including the Peninsula Pulse office.

The resident string quartet was founded in the fall of 2018 by Midsummer’s Music, with support from St. Norbert College and the Fine Arts Institute at East High in Green Bay. It currently comprises Roy Meyer (violin), Vinicius Sant’Ana (violin), Blakeley Menghini (viola) and Ryan Louie (cello). The quartet members are young, highly accomplished musicians who will provide concerts, workshops and instruction to all ages in the Door and Brown County communities from September through May.

Midsummer’s Music Artistic Director Jim Berkenstock wrote the following about the quartet’s concerts: “I am delighted to share a quick report on the holiday concerts performed by our new resident string quartet. On Dec. 14 at Hope Church in Sturgeon Bay, we had about 100 in attendance, filling the main part of the sanctuary with spillover to the rear section … The enthusiasm continued and increased Saturday afternoon at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor. We had 100 chairs preset. About 20 minutes before the concert, it became clear we needed more. We brought up at least 20 extra chairs from the basement and squeezed them in the very limited remaining floor space. We then brought any kind of chair from the main floor. Exhausting that source, we pulled in the wet, high bar chairs from the balcony and wiped them off for some seating in the Kress Room’s vestibule. With all that, we still ended up with about 40 people standing. Our best estimate is that we had somewhere near 180 at the beginning of the concert. The enthusiasm was palpable! Everyone there knew they were at an event of some considerable substance and significance.”

In early January, Midsummer’s Music will announce the quartet’s new name. Check midsummersmusic.com for updates on the quartet’s winter and spring schedule.