The Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series will present the Ruysdael Quartet, 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 at St. Mark’s in-the-Valley in downtown Los Olivos.

“We are so thrilled to offer this special summer presentation for our audience,” said artistic director Robert Cassidy. “The timing was perfect as the Ruysdael Quartet will be on a rare West Coast tour of the United States.”
 
The Ruysdael Quartet started its journey winning prizes at the Charles Hennen and Bordeaux competitions, and the Dutch Kersjesprijs. They perform on all Dutch stages and tour abroad.

Recent highlights include the honor of accompanying their majesties the king and queen of the Netherlands on their state visit to France; a Wigmore Hall debut; Boulez Zaal debut in Berlin; and tours of Japan and Turkey.

The Ruysdael Quartet’s repertoire spans Purcell to contemporary works and includes a number of commissions, the latest by Jörg Widmann.

To celebrate the quartet’s 25th anniversary 25 Dutch composers wrote miniatures for the quartet, five of which will be featured at the July 31 concert. The quartet will also perform Beethoven’s “String Quartet Op. 95 in F minor” and the “Brahms Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 34” with pianist Cassidy.

St. Mark’s offers the SYV Concert Series as a community arts enrichment program. All are invited to attend, and students are always free. Tickets available at Ticket Order ejoinme.org.

For more about St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, visit www.SMITV.org.