Lyrique Quintette Performs at International Clarinet Association Conference

Photo Submitted

The Lyrique Quintette at the ClarinetFest 2019.

The Lyrique Quintette, which is the University of Arkansas Music Department's faculty ensemble in residence, was invited to perform at the International Clarinet Association's annual conference, ClarinetFest 2019.

The conference was held July 24-18 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the quintet gave a performance of three works from their recent album, Arrivals and Departures: Music of the Americas. First on the program was Adriana Verié's Tangoescente, followed by U of A professor Robert Mueller's Veni Variationes (commissioned by the Lyrique Quintette), and ending with Matthieu Lussier's Dos Tropicos.

Invitations to the conference are through a highly selective competitive application process. Members of the quintet are Music Department faculty members Ronda Mains, Theresa Delaplain, Nophachai Cholthitchanta, Timothy Thompson and Lia Uribe.

The Lyrique Quintette has performed throughout the United States and abroad, including tours to Spain, Thailand, Germany, and Canada.  They have been invited guests at numerous national and international music conferences and festivals, and have commissioned and premiered many works by contemporary composers. Formed in 1990, the quintet has maintained an active performance schedule, with a regular home concert series and frequent guest artist tours. The group is on the touring roster of the Arkansas Arts Council. The quintet has performed at the invitation of the International Double Reed Society at their conferences in Banff, Frankfurt, and Austin. In 2003 the ensemble spent two weeks in Thailand in residence at Kesetsart University in Bangkok and Songkla University is Hat Yai, performing a concerto with the Kesetsart Wind Symphony, and appearing as guest artists on the Tamnak Pratham series in Bangkok. The quintet returned to Bangkok in 2004 to perform with the National Orchestra of Thailand. In 2018, the quintet toured Spain, including a performance at the International Double Reed Society Conference in Granada and a performance sponsored by the United States Embassy in Madrid as part of a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Fulbright Exchange program between the United States and Spain. The quintet's most recent album, Arrivals and Departures: Music of the Americas, was released in 2018 on the Mark Custom label.