{"id":111979,"date":"2025-02-19T14:50:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T19:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=111979"},"modified":"2025-02-19T17:00:35","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T22:00:35","slug":"interview-composer-instrumentalist-drew-jurecka-talks-venuti-string-quartet-album-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/02\/19\/interview-composer-instrumentalist-drew-jurecka-talks-venuti-string-quartet-album-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Composer\/Instrumentalist Drew Jurecka Talks About The Venuti String Quartet Album Launch"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_111982\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-111982\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-111982\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-49.jpg\" alt=\"The Venuti String Quartet, L-R: Shannon Knights, viola, Drew Jurecka, violin, Rebekah Wolkstein, violin, Amahl Arulanandam, cello (Photo: Nathan Hiltz)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-49.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-49-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-49-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-49-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-111982\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Venuti String Quartet, L-R: Shannon Knights, viola, Drew Jurecka, violin, Rebekah Wolkstein, violin, Amahl Arulanandam, cello (Photo: Nathan Hiltz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Drew Jurecka and wife\/fellow musician Rebekah Wolkstein formed The Venuti String Quartet with violist Shannon Knights, and cellist Amahl Arulanandam. All of the musicians are veterans of Toronto\u2019s many classical ensembles, and perform with the COC and National Ballet orchestras, Tafelmusik and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, among other ensembles.<\/p>\n<p>Their first recording as a quartet \u2014 Drew Jurecka &amp; Maurice Ravel: String Quartets \u2014 will be released on February 28 in celebration of Ravel\u2019s 150th birthday.<\/p>\n<p>Classically trained, as is Wolkstein (with whom he performs in the ensemble Payadora), Drew Jurecka works in a range of genres from jazz to pop. He\u2019s performed on, and written for, work that appears on more than 150 albums by artists like Royal Wood, Bahamas, and Hailee Steinfeld.<\/p>\n<p>We spoke to him about the album and concert.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BFFdNHME3_k?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Drew Jurecka: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>The program pairs Jurecka\u2019s quartet with Ravel\u2019s. It\u2019s a composer, and an era, he\u2019s long been drawn to.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think of Ravel as being part of a movement of composers that were exploring different styles, and were coming into contact with exoticism musically,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>As he points out, Ravel\u2019s interests and musical influences included a range of global musical genres like jazz and other American styles. \u201cAnd also, [composers] were moving away from the standard Western tonality in a way that I still find very appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ravel\u2019s String Quartet in F major, his one and only, was composed in 1903, and it was that era of Western music where the old harmonic and other forms were beginning to fall away, but were not yet replaced by any specific system, such as the 12-tone music that would follow. Jurecka points out that it allowed Ravel and his contemporaries to experiment more simply and directly with the sounds they wanted, unfettered by dogma.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s true, and Ravel famously didn&#8217;t want to talk about functional harmony with his peers,\u201d he says. \u201cHe represents a kind of beautiful, spirit-driven music.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Jazz vs. Classical<\/h3>\n<p>Drew\u2019s work as a producer, multi-instrumentalist and arranger takes him across North America. He was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year for his work with pop singer Dua Lipa, which included arranging strings, performing, and engineering on the song Don\u2019t Start Now.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to both contemporary jazz and contemporary classical music, there is a significant overlap. As Jurecka notes, jazz and classical musicians have a similar approach to the music, and both forms emphasize technical and expressive abilities.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not to say that complicated or difficult passages are necessary in any genre.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat felt like a revelation to me, but was obvious to everyone around me, was that music can be very simple [&#8230;] or it can be beautifully complex,\u201d he says, \u201cbut, if you\u2019re missing your listener \u2014 it&#8217;s a failure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the danger of creating music that\u2019s overly intellectual. The Impressionists, as he explains, were more listener focused. Technical difficulty had a purpose: expression. \u201cWe need both things to exist,\u201d he says. Of the two, expression is the more crucial for listeners. \u201cIt can be all vibe,\u201d he says. \u201cAs a listener, you don&#8217;t want to be siting there going, wow this guy is working very hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The scherzo (2nd) movement of Jurecka\u2019s string quartet in an animated video conceived and directed by Rebekah Wolkstein and animated by Marcus Kim Cade:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6_-LH2uhX80?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Drew Jurecka: String Quartet No. 1<\/h3>\n<p>Jurecka\u2019s String Quartet took about a decade to take shape between 2010 and 2020.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWriting a quartet is something I\u2019ve wanted to do for a long time just because I love the medium,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>As a classically-trained musician who works largely in non-classical environments, he was intrigued by the expressive powers of the string quartet as an ensemble.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has the potential to sound like a 100 musicians,\u201d he says. Dynamics can also be explored. \u201cIt somehow allows an entire range.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Venuti Quartet came together because of that fascination, and a recently completed string quartet manuscript that needed performance and recording. \u201cWe started this group because we love string quartets and we wanted to play it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After years of work completed, for the most part, for other artists and their projects, he was happy to have the opportunity to compose and perform his own music. That\u2019s not to say he\u2019s rejecting the world of pop or jazz, or the work he\u2019s done there. \u201cI wanted to feature some of the textures I&#8217;ve been playing with,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>The interaction of the movements in a string quartet intrigued him. \u201cI wanted to explore the form of a string quartet,\u201d he says. \u201cA string quartet is kind of a concept album.<br \/>\nI wanted to explore that idea. It was a challenge for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As in Ravel\u2019s work, he uses what he calls a \u201cjazzy language\u201d within the form of a string quartet. \u201cI kind of wanted to play with some of those traditional things from Haydn and Beethoven, and those traditional writers, and take them in a different direction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His composition was written in spurts over the 10-year period. \u201cI had musical compatriots who would encourage me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pairing it with Ravel\u2019s string quartet seemed like a natural choice. \u201cReally, it&#8217;s just that I&#8217;m very influenced by the harmonic language of that movement. \u201c<\/p>\n<h3>The Concert<\/h3>\n<p>The February 28 concert takes place at Hugh\u2019s Room Live. The quartet will be performing their entire album, along with a group of pieces by midcentury modernist Austro-Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was part of that Weimar scene.,\u201d Jurecka says. \u201cThey also fit into that adventurous but still emotionally accessible language that Ravel used,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat&#8217;s one of the cool things about living now, is that we have access to everything,\u201d he says of the contemporary composer\u2019s palette.<\/p>\n<p>Rebekah Wolkstein adds of his string quartet, \u201cI think Ravel would love it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Both hope the work has a longer life and wider reach than a local premiere. \u201cIt would require a quartet to have a really great jazz violinist,\u201d Wolkstein adds.<\/p>\n<p>The recording also includes a bit of a surprise.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s a tiny little piece at the end of the album called The Spider,\u201d Drew says. \u201cIt&#8217;s a piece that I wrote with Jay Danley.\u201d Danley is a Toronto jazz artist and composer, and The Spider was written when he and Jurecka had a weekly gig at the Rex Hotel. \u201cThe two of us wrote that piece, and performed it as an encore every week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For the album, he expanded on it somewhat (it\u2019s about a minute long) to accommodate a string quartet. \u201cIt pays tribute to Carl Stalling, who was the great composer of Merry Melodies and Looney Tunes [cartoons],\u201d Jurecka says. \u201cIt\u2019s a fun little bon bon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so rare that Drew writes music just for the sake of saying what he wants to say.,\u201d Rebekah says. \u201cIt&#8217;s a testament to his artistry and that he really should do it more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really do love collaboration a lot,\u201d Drew allows. Four of the albums he\u2019s worked on are currently nominated for a JUNO Award. \u201cIt is rare to have actually taken the time to create something of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find more information about the February 28 album release concert, and tickets, [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.showpass.com\/the-venuti-string-quartet-album-launch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<li>The album will be released on March 7 on Leaf Music [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/leaf-music.lnk.to\/vsq2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? 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Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Performer composer and arranger Drew Jurecka and wife\/fellow musician Rebekah Wolkstein formed The Venuti String Quartet, with an album release on February 28.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":111982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[41660,76,77,18,19,29,38,81,51,57,63],"tags":[40497,41355,41354,41722],"yst_prominent_words":[6616,6804,10907,7677],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-49.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-t87","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111979"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111979"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111988,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111979\/revisions\/111988"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111979"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=111979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}