Hawthorne String Quartet to open

Concerts at the Point series Concerts at the Point begins its fourth chamber music series at 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Westport Point United Methodist Church. The Hawthorne String Quartet -- Roman Lefkowitz and Holdan Martinson, violins; Mark Ludwig, viola; and Sato Knudsen, cello -- are all members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

This concert is sponsored in part by Baker Books and Compass Bank.

Formed in 1986, the Hawthorne quartet has performed throughout the United States, South America, Europe, and Japan and at major festivals including Tanglewood, Ravinia, and Aspen. In addition, the quartet has made solo appearances with the Boston Symphony and the Deutsch Kammerphilharmonic. They were recently appointed quartet-in-residence at Boston College.

In October 1991, the quartet performed in Terezin and Prague, in ceremonies marking the opening of the Ghetto Museum in Terezin and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first transports to the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. Presidents Havel and Herzog were present.

Subsequent to that concert, the Hawthorne String Quartet founded the Terezin Chamber Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to assuring the permanence of the music written by composers who perished in the Holocaust. As the music and history of these artists are powerful tools in the ongoing struggle against racism and intolerance, the foundation is committed to ensuring their appreciation by people of all beliefs and experiences. As a memorial to the artists and their creative spirit, which flourished despite the inhuman conditions of the Theresienstadt concentration camp, the foundation devotes itself to interfaith concerts, lectures, recordings, children's programs and research.

The quartet's first recording, titled "Chamber Music from Theresienstadt" has received international critical acclaim and won the Preis der Schallplattenkritik in 1991. Their "Silenced Voices" CD on Northeastern Records once again premiered the music of composers persecuted during World War II. These two recordings were produced through the efforts of the Terezin Chamber Music Foundation.

In April 1993, the Hawthorne String Quartet began recording with London Decca, producing for their first record the first recording of the String Quartet by Pavel Haas, one of Europe's most gifted composers who perished at Theresienstadt. This quartet will be part of the program tomorrow, as well as a quartet by Vitezolava Kapralova, and the String Quartet in C, K. 465 of Mozart.

Concerts at the Point will continue its series at 8 p.m. Oct. 27 with the Jubilee Trio: Marion Dry, contralto; Robert Honeysucker, baritone; and Leslie Amper, piano.

At 3 p.m. Nov. 19, the Charleston String Quartet will be featured, and at 3 p.m. Jan. 21 the Walden Chamber Players will present three trios combining various instruments.

Series tickets are $40, $35 for students and seniors, while individual tickets are $12, $10 for students and seniors. For further information and to reserve tickets, call (508) 636-3707, (508) 636-8995, or (401) 635-1643.

The church is at 1912 Main Road, Westport Point.

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