Stringers with Pluck

Worried those childhood violin lessons might have put a cramp in your cool? That fear didn’t stop David Harrington from forming the Kronos Quartet in 1973 and turning the group into the bad boys of new music. Iconoclastic almost to the point of being contrarian, the quartet isn’t the kind of string ensemble you’d normally hire for your wedding (though that would be pretty cool). They are quite capable of delivering passionate performances of Bartók, Webern, or other classical pieces, but they are equally adept at arranging works by diverse artists such as Thelonious Monk, Jimi Hendrix, and Sigur Rós. If that’s not enough, they’ve also worked with artists from all around the world – Café Tacuba, Asha Bhosle, and even Big Bird (yeah, that Big Bird). But even during the most kitsch-filled journey to weirdsville, the quartet remains true to the music. Kronos has premiered hundreds of serious compositions written specifically for the group, some by the likes of John Cage and Steve Reich and other master composers. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 E. Flagler St., Miami. Tickets range from $18 to $52. Call 305-374-2444, or visit www.culture.mdc.edu.
Fri., Sept. 22