School of Music Visiting Artist Series
MUSIC: Gnarwhallaby consists of Brian Walsh, Richard Valitutto, Derek Stein and Matt Barbier. It was formed in 2011 to revive and perform the repertoire composed for the unique instrumentation of clarinet, trombone, cello, and piano. As its starting point, the quartet used the missions and repertoires of the now defunct, avant-garde polish ensemble Warsztat Muzyczny as well as the later German outfit quartet avance. As the third generation "grandchild" quartet – the first in the United States and the only currently active quartet of its kind in the world – Gnarwhallaby continues to expand this largely unknown and fascinating body of repertoire with active composer commissions and original compositions by its members. All are graduates of California Institute of the Arts.