Tyler Stauffer photo: Dancers used movements that imitated birds to complement Burke’s bird-themed artwork.The Cavani String Quartet performance in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Friday, Jan. 21, was well attended and met with rave reviews from audience members.

The quartet members played with technical brilliance and passion.

“It was impressive how animated and lively the Cavani String Quartet was,” said senior Heather Gorres.

The concert opened with a striking rendition of Antonín Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96,” a composition in four movements. Next came “Midnight Child,” a bluesy piece by Charles Washington.

The highlight of the evening, however, was the collaborative presentation that followed intermission.

The Cavani String Quartet’s rendition of “Canandaigua Quartet,” a score composed by Albert Glinsky, Ph.D., was combined with artwork by professor Daniel Burke and mesmerizing dancing by SoMar Dance Works.

“Dr. Glinsky’s score was amazing,” said senior Meghan Geci. “It was really impressive.”

Glinsky’s score takes its name and inspiration from Canandaigua Lake in western New York and the beauty of the surrounding scenery.

A new twist was put upon this idea with the incorporation of Burke’s bird-themed art and bird-like movement within the SoMar choreography that mimicked the art.

Tyler Stauffer: The multimedia presentation included the Cavani String Quartet, SoMar Dance Works, Dr. Albert Glinsky and Daniel Burke.The art pieces were incorporated into the visual presentation in a variety of ways. Some were carried in by the dancers and hung in space, and others appeared in Santilliano’s projected video montage. Additionally, birds were attached to PVC pipes and used by the dancers in their movement.

“The artwork was so detailed that I wanted to get up onstage to look at it closer. I always like to see the blending of various art forms and it was a neat idea to have the dancers actually carry the art onstage,” said junior Anna Daught.

The first movement of the piece, titled “Sundance,” and the third movement, called “Spinout,” were both lively and enthralling, with energy built up by both the music and the dancers.

The second movement, “Nocturne (West on 90),” was softer and more reflective with a beautiful, subtle sadness.

The Cavani concert proved to be very special for the SoMar dancers, who dedicated their performance to the memory of former SoMar dancer Jenni-Lyn Watson, whose tragic November death has deeply affected the members of the dance department.

This feeling was most evident in the second movement and made for an especially stirring performance.

Overall, the whole concert was very well received by the audience.

Junior Melissa Sheffield said, “It was a great collaboration. The Cavani String Quartet played beautifully. I enjoyed the composition by Dr. Glinsky paired with the artwork. The SoMar dancers added another layer and danced beautifully, of course.”