By TONI MARIE MARCHIONI

To many musicians, a career consisting of performing on a regular basis with one's closest friends seems like an unobtainable, idealistic dream achieved only after decades of symphony rehearsals or years of chamber group performances. But for the Calder Quartet, Juilliard's new graduate string-quartet-in-residence, this dream is reality.

The quartet—comprising violinists Andrew Bulbrook and Benjamin Jacobson, violist Jonathan Moerschel, and cellist Eric Byers—dates back to 1997, when Andrew, Ben, and Jon were freshmen at the University of Southern California. When their original cellist did not work out, Eric joined them a year later, a match that Benjamin describes as instantaneous. Though they were all childhood acquaintances, the quartet initially began to play together only to fulfill a chamber music requirement at U.S.C. Their friendship and mental connections, however, have kept them together. Jonathan observes, "So many quartets meet untimely ends because they don't get along. We were friends before we were chamber music colleagues. I think we have a mutual respect for each other, which goes a long way. The most important thing is that we have fun working together."

The Calder Quartet: (left to right) Jonathan Moerschel, Eric Byers, Benjamin Jacobson, and Andrew Bulbrook. (Photo by Tyler Boye)

While the quartet's current goals are clear and solidified, they "started playing together more as friends than as a real quartet," says Andrew. The relationship started slowly, through a little rehearsing and a lot of socializing. "As school kept going, everyone checked out different stuff. U.S.C.'s contemporary music ensemble was really important to us as individual players, but we explored outside of music, too. Eric got really into rock climbing; Ben worked in a research lab dissecting frogs; I did a degree in economics and studied leadership with U.S.C.'s president, Steven B. Sample, and Warren Bennis, founding chairman of the school's Leadership Institute; and Jon was an officer in the ham radio club." But the years also included intense emotional periods and performances, and "the quartet persevered through all of those experiences and came out stronger," says Andrew. During their summer residency at the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies at the Aspen Music Festival and School, the four realized that it was time to decide collectively where the quartet would take them. Despite the professional and personal sacrifices required to make it work, all four players committed to making the quartet their life.

Named after the visual artist Alexander Calder, the quartet draws inspiration from both the artist's work and his life. Jonathan speaks of Calder's mobiles, describing them as "musical in their motion and their stillness. Each movement is slightly different each time." The quartet is also deeply moved by Calder's work ethic and strives to incorporate his philosophies into their own objectives. Jonathan continues, "Calder worked on his art up until he died, always trying to push the boundaries of his ideas. He was always tinkering, trying to find new ways of expressing his ideas. He was always so youthful at heart, even to his last day. We try to keep the youthful energy in our playing while always looking for different ways to approach the music. The work is never done. It is always a work in progress."

As part of its Juilliard residency, the quartet will present the annual Lisa Arnhold Memorial Recital in February in Alice Tully Hall. In observance of its tradition of offering programs with diverse works, the quartet will perform Haydn's String Quartet in G Major, Op. 76, No. 1; Christopher Rouse's String Quartet No. 2 (1988); and Smetana's String Quartet No. 1 ("From My Life"). Andrew points out that, although diversity in programming is key, "there is also a tragic element to the evening. At this point in our growth, tragedy is something that we get."

Though the program will begin with Haydn's upbeat and humorous quartet, it quickly moves to Rouse's work, described by Andrew as "dark and jagged. It is capable of extreme beauty and extreme anger, and when it ends, everything is not O.K." Jonathan emphasizes that audiences seem to "really connect" with Rouse's quartets, and because he is a Juilliard faculty member, the quartet seized the opportunity for a New York performance of his piece. The concert will conclude with Smetana's "From my Life" Quartet, which, Andrew explains, "chronicles Smetana's life: the meteoric rise to the top, and then crashing into insanity and his inevitable destiny."

In addition to the Lisa Arnhold Memorial Concert, the quartet has a very hectic and wide-ranging performance schedule outside of Juilliard. Their season consists of performances of the late Beethoven quartets at places like the Kennedy Center and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, as well as a concert series at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. But it also includes the La Jolla Music Society copresenting the quartet's own Carlsbad Music Festival for alternative music; side-by-side performances with Terry Riley at the first Minimalist Music Festival, run by John Adams, and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; and appearances at the Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, performing music of Christopher Rouse and Shostakovich. Andrew explains the quartet's experimenting: "We are just trying to find our voice and do the projects that have meaning to us, and will help us grow as artists and people."

Lisa Arnhold Memorial Recital Calder String Quartet Alice Tully Hall Thursday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. Free tickets available beginning Feb. 7 in the Juilliard Box Office.

Before arriving at Juilliard, the Calders spent their entire career on the West Coast, and recently completed the graduate quartet-in-residence program at the Colburn School. Relocating to Manhattan might seem like a drastic move, but the entire quartet concurs that it is an amazing opportunity. Jonathan elucidates: "Working with the Juilliard Quartet is a chance to play for a group that has a long tradition of quartet playing. That is something we didn't have out in Los Angeles." Although the Calder Quartet has been performing professionally for several years, Benjamin praises the Juilliard residency for "the time it gives us to work and develop. Once you leave school, there's less and less time to study. Here, we're able to coach a few times a week, take private lessons, and rehearse really hard. We've never had the chance to work in depth with a major quartet, and it's really opened our minds."

While the main focus of the Calder Quartet's residency is undoubtedly on growing as a musical ensemble and enjoying their own success, the group is also appreciative of the opportunity to study at an institution like Juilliard. As Andrew adds, "Being here in the centennial year, you realize that the greatness of Juilliard wasn't necessarily a given; a chain of great men and women have worked hard for years to bring this school to where it is now, and it is wonderful to be here and celebrate this achievement with Juilliard."

Toni Marie Marchioni is a master's student in oboe.