‘Crossover Quartet’ to play in Ainsworth

AINSWORTH — A genre-bending performance from Red Cedar Chamber Music is planned at the Ainsworth Opera House Friday, April 11.

While the ensemble is known locally for its moving picture accompaniments and, as its name suggests, chamber music renditions, Friday’s show will offer a new sound, with guest performers Blake Shaw and Dan Padley playing double bass and electric guitar, alongside the more conventional violin and cello.

Red Cedar Artistic Director and Cellist Carey Bostian said the program would be “jazz-adjacent,” with original compositions by the guest performers who specialize in that genre.

“The thing about jazz is, it’s always changing, it doesn’t have boundaries,” he said. “He’s just composing music, but his idiom is very strongly jazz-influenced, so I think I’d say that, the pieces, they’re new jazz competitions.”

The stop in Ainsworth is part of a nine-show tour Red Cedar’s taking through the area this month, also going through Cedar Rapids, Williamsburg and Iowa City, among other places.

Red Cedar Executive Director and Violinist Miera Kim pointed out that the arrangement was still technically a string quartet, and that a handful of practice sessions helped the performers meld their styles.

The show has presented some challenges, however. Jazz compositions use all the same notations as classical compositions, but for different things. The more conventional strings players, meanwhile, said their peers weren’t accustomed to rehearsals, given their specialty in a genre that highlights improvisation.

“We’re feeling great about it,” Kim said. “I’ve always loved jazz and listened to a lot of it, even though I haven’t played a lot of it, so I think we’re doing a good job of capturing the style …

The “Crossover Quartet” will play at the Ainsworth Opera House Friday, April 11. Tickets are $25, and cover a meal at 6 p.m., and show at 7. Reservations for the meal must be made by April 9, by calling 319-653-6250.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com