Iowa update part II (Brad)

One of the most exciting things about this tour was the opportunity to perform close to home.   We were even able to take up residence at the Ottesen house in Davenport, IA for a day.  For those of you who don’t know, I come from a very large family.  There were eight of us Ottesen kids, and we all studied music – including an unusually high percentage of violists.

When I was growing up, you could easily pick out our house on the block - it was the one with all the lights on at night and music pouring out of every window.  The piano was constantly in use, a rotation beginning before school and ending around 10:00 every night.  Once all the members of the quartet were sequestered in their bedrooms and furiously practicing away, the house hummed with string noises much like it always had. 

Breakfast for a hungry quartet is just like any other day in this household.  Here’s Mom Ottesen whipping up a batch of Grandpop’s pancakes…

And here’s my sister Katie frying a pan full of bacon – home cured and smoked by her husband Joe!

Our concert in Fairfield IA was also attended by my first teacher, William Preucil.  Bill and his wife Doris have raised generations of musicians through the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City, including all 8 Ottesen siblings.  I owe much of my love of music to the gentle guidance of my teachers, I can only hope to pass on some of what I’ve received.  Thank you Bill and Doris!

 

Bill was the violist of the Stradivari Quartet at a time when there were very few professional American string quartets. As longtime faculty at the University of Iowa, they were one of the first major string quartet residencies in the country.  No doubt they traversed many miles of the same country roads that we are now on!

This is very cool:  The University of Iowa has made the complete archives of the Stradavari Quartet recordings available online here.  This is over 30 years worth of quartet performances of the highest caliber.