Local music lovers can feast their ears on magnificent chamber works performed by some of the world's most talented young artists as The Quartet Program launches its fourth season in residence at the State University at Fredonia. The Quartet Program's 2009 regular concert season begins with a weekend of quartet and sonata concerts set for Thursday through Saturday. All concerts take place at Mason Hall on the campus of the university.

The Quartet Program, now in its 40th season, is a seven-week workshop that brings together 36 gifted and accomplished string players, ages 14 to 30. In residence at the State University at Fredonia from June 14 to Aug. 1, this summer's participants come from 25 states, Canada, Japan, and Korea, including many who study at the world's leading music schools and have significant competition and performance accolades to their credit. Each participant learns and performs one solo work and two string quartets working under the conditions of a professional position, to further develop their solo and ensemble skills.

This year's distinguished faculty includes violinists Charles Castleman (also program director), Laura Bossert, James Pember Lyon and Solomia Soroka; violists Allyson Dawkins, John Kochanowski, Renee Moore Skerik and Basil Vendryes; and cellists Anthony Elliott, Thomas Landschoot, Mark Rudoff and Jeffrey Solow. Chamber music coaches, in addition to many of the other faculty, include Kyoko Hashimoto, Einar Holm, Susan Waterbury, Annie Fullard and Diane Monroe. Master classes will be presented by violinists Charles Castleman and Michael Ludwig, violist George Taylor, and cellist Michael Haber.

Concerts by the participants and guest artists will be presented in Juliet Rosch Recital Hall and in Diers Recital Hall in Mason Hall on the State University at Fredonia campus in three time periods: July 2-4, July 10-13, and July 29-Aug. 1. Admission is a recommended contribution of $5 for participant concerts. The Quartet Program is a registered non-profit organization; donations are welcome and gratefully received.

The participants will also perform free concerts in the community. Venues will include Reed Library at State University at Fredonia, Intermezzo's Cafe in Fredonia, the Big Dipper Ice Cream Shop in Dunkirk, the Chautauqua County Home and the Unitarian Church of Jamestown, as well as several private locations in Chautauqua County. For information on hosting one of these community concerts, call the Quartet Program office at 673-3567.