Thursday was the second of two rest days for the Orchestra. One string quartet spent their day preparing for and performing at the Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center.

A string quartet of CSO musicians performed at the Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center this afternoon. Susan Synnestvedt and Melanie Kupchynsky, violinists, and Richard Hirschl, cello, joined Taiwan native Wei-Ting Kuo, who performed double-duty as violist and spokesman. The group played on the main floor of a large atrium. Some people listened from higher floors above the musicians, while other people sat in chairs arranged in front of the group. Wei-Ting spoke to the audience in Mandarin before each piece. The rest of the quartet couldn't understand what he was saying, but could tell by the frequent laughter that the audience enjoyed his remarks. The crowd was a mix of patients and staff. The program began with the first movement of Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik", and was followed by Haydn's "Lark" quartet (minus the slow movement). The finale was the first and last movements of Dvorak's "American" string quartet. Calls for an encore were heard from the enthusiastic audience, but Wei-Ting told them that the group hadn't rehearsed anything else. A short Q&A followed the performance.

Quartet members Susan Synnestvedt and Melanie Kupchynsky, violinists, Wei-Ting Kuo, violist and Richard Hirschl, cellist. | © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2016

Violist Wei-Ting Kuo speaking to the audience during the performance. | © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2016

Susan Synnestvedt, violinist, after the performance. | © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2016

Richard Hirschl, cellist, after the performance. | © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2016