Parker Quartet on Shelter Island

Shelter Island Friends of Music presents the Parker Quartet on Sunday, October 8, in a free concert at 7 p.m. at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. The Grammy-award winning string quartet will play music by Mozart, Britten and Beethoven.

The seasoned quartet includes Daniel Chong and Ken Hamao on violin, Jessica Bodner, viola and Kee-Hyan Kim on cello. Founded and currently based in Boston, the Parker Quartet’s numerous honors include winning the Concert Artists Guild Competition, the Grand Prix and Mozart Prize at France’s Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition and Chamber Music America’s prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award.

Internationally recognized, the Parker Quartet has distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation. Inspired performances and exceptional musicianship are hallmarks of the quartet, having appeared at the world’s most illustrious venues since its founding in 2002.

To celebrate its recent 20th-anniversary season, the group introduced “The Beethoven Project.” The multi-faceted initiative includes performances of the complete cycle of Beethoven’s string quartets; the commissioning of six composers to write encores inspired by Beethoven’s quartets; the creation of a new video library spotlighting each Beethoven quartet; and bringing Beethoven’s music to nontraditional venues around Boston, including homeless shelters and youth programs.

Among the quartet’s many acclaimed recordings, its Ligeti Quartets won a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance. The group’s newest release features Dvořák’s Viola Quintet as well as György Kurtág’s Six Moments Musicaux and Officium breve in memoriam.

The members of the Parker Quartet serve as professors of the practice and Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music. The quarter’s name is inspired by the Parker House, a historic Boston landmark — home of the famous Parker House rolls and Boston crème pie — and it pays homage to the great history of artists and writers who often used the Parker House as a meeting place.

This is the final concert of the SIFM’s 46th consecutive season. There is no admission fee; donations are always appreciated. A reception with the musicians follows the concert.

Visit shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org for details. Shelter Island Presbyterian Church is at 32 North Ferry Road (Rte. 114), Shelter Island.