During the last year and a half many things were restricted and changed. But music will always find a way. Sometimes these restrictions actually act as a catalyst to create something great. That seems to be the case with our recent discovery Constellation Quartet.
At the height of the pandemic in 2020 a quick pick up group of classically trained musicians was put together to perform with The Neighborhood Concert, a company producing socially-distanced events. The quartet consisting of Emily Moore, violin (manager & leader), Jayla Tang, violin, Jennifer Wu, viola, and Max Mueller, cellist & arranger realized that they were onto something. Constellation Quartet was officially formed.
After buckling down for months of masked practices and zoom meetings, the group was given the resident-artist position at the Garden Concert Series in Redondo Beach, California. Since then, they have performed to sold-out crowds on a monthly basis with a selection of the best singer-songwriters Los Angeles has to offer.
On December 3rd Constellation Quartet released their debut EP Venice Sessions. The 5 track record extends their mission to help revitalize Classical music. They do this not by playing a classical repertoire but instead taking modern music and putting their own spin on it. The opener is a whimsical version of the Annie Lennox classic “Walking On Broken Glass.” The warm strings provide the classic vibe but the strong arrangement keeps the track modern as well. Something every listener can enjoy.
‘Little Talks’ by Constellation Quartet
For an even more modern take, Constellation Quartet share “Little Talks” from Of Monsters And Men. The lead violin plays the melody of the original perfectly while the backdrop provided by the rest of the group fills the sonic space perfectly. Elegant and beautiful. The next song “Luna” continues the elegance in a more relaxed way that seems to soothe the soul.
The closer goes in another direction with the help of vocalist Cliff Beach. The collaboration with the singer provides a whole new energy to the classical quartet. Strings chug along to build up the power while Cliff pours his heart into the vocals. This shows off where the band can go as they already have plans to work with other singers and songwriters.
Keep up with more from Constellation Quartet HERE.
