The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Quapaw Quartet will perform a selection of classical music at Lyon College’s annual West Endowed Concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, in the Bevens Music Room of the Brown Fine Arts Building on the Lyon College campus, 2300 Highland Rd., Batesville.
Thanks to the generosity of former Lyon president Dan West and his wife, Sidney, who endowed an annual classical music performance, the concert is free and open to the public.
The program will feature Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20, No. 4 in D major, including the movements “Allegro di molto,” “Un poco adagio affettuoso,” “Allegretto alla zingarese” and “Presto scherzando.” The performance will continue with Philip Glass’ String Quartet No. 3 “Mishima,” featuring “1957 Award Montage,” “November 25 – Ichigaya,” “1934 – Grandmother and Kimitake,” “1962 – Body Building,” “Blood Oath” and “Mishima/Closing.” The concert will conclude with Darius Milhaud’s String Quartet No. 1, Op. 5, with movements “Rythmique,” “Intime contenu” and “Vif tres rythme.”
The Quapaw Quartet consists of Charlotte Crosmer, violin; Meredith Maddox Hicks, violin; Timothy MacDuff, viola; and Travis Scharer, cello.
About the Musicians
Hicks joined the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in 2002 after receiving her master’s degree in Music Performance and completing doctoral work at Florida State University. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, she graduated from Belmont University with a bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance before studying at the Russian Academy of Music. She has held positions with the Memphis, Jacksonville, Naples and New World symphony orchestras. Hicks is also an instructor of violin and viola at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a member of Meshugga, Arkansas’ only Klezmer band.
Crosmer, an Arkansas native, began her violin studies at age four and has a background in both classical violin and old-time fiddle music. She completed a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at the University of Central Arkansas and later earned master’s degrees in Chamber Music and Violin Performance from the University of Michigan. Crosmer has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra since 2009.
MacDuff discovered his passion for chamber music at the New England Music Camp in Maine. He has performed with various chamber ensembles, including the Anacostia String Quartet and Loon Lake Live. MacDuff joined the Quapaw Quartet in 2019 and has performed in orchestras such as the National Repertory Orchestra, the National Orchestra Institute Philharmonic and the Texas Festival Orchestra at Round Top. He is also an experienced music educator.
Scharer grew up in Salem, Oregon, and studied at Indiana University and the New England Conservatory. He has taken part in many music festivals, including the Marrowstone Music Festival, and the Meadowmount School of Music. Scharer joined the Arkansas Symphony and the Quapaw String Quartet during the 2023-24 season.
Founded in 1980 as the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s resident string quartet, the Quapaw Quartet provides musical and educational entertainment to thousands of music lovers each year. From school programs to full-length recitals, the Quapaw Quartet is considered an Arkansas treasure.
The Dan C. and Sidney Childs West String Endowment was established in May 1981 to offer live musical performances and stringed instrument instruction at Lyon College. Since then, the endowment has supported free concerts by many distinguished ensembles. Dan West served as president of Lyon College—then Arkansas College—from 1972 to 1988.
For more information about the West Endowed Concert at Lyon College, please contact Carol Langston, director of college communications, at Carol.Langston@Lyon.edu or (870) 307-7075.
Karin Huffman is an Independence County native who graduated from Cushman High School in 1996. Traveling throughout the state is one of her passions, along with writing about her adventures.
Taking over as travel writer for the Ozark Gateway Region is a dream come true for Huffman who lives in the region with her two daughters, Grace and Stella.
As a family, they enjoy canoeing the Poke Bayou, Salado Creek and the many waterways along the White River in Independence County. Camping and hiking throughout the region is a must for them in the spring and fall as well.
Huffman is an avid nature photographer who will do just about anything to find the perfect waterfall shot, and has visited many in the great state. From Twin Falls and the Richland Creek area in Northwest Arkansas to little known places off the beaten path, waterfalls will be found.
Huffman has been a travel writer for the Eye on Independence Magazine as well as a staff writer for the Batesville Guard, and is looking forward to devoting her time to traveling throughout the eight county region that the Ozark Gateway offers.
If you would like to contact Huffman about an adventure or would like to know how to get more information out about your area, contact her at 870-307-5473, karinhuffman78@gmail.com or karinozarkgateway@sbcglobal.net.