Classical act

The Lake Tahoe Music Festival kicks off its 22nd season with concerts by the Miró Quartet. The group is considered one of America’s most exciting young chamber groups, having won first prize at the 1998 Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 2000. Violinists Daniel Ching, John Largess and Sandy Yamamoto and cellist Joshua Gindele formed the group in 1995, taking their name from Spanish surrealist artist Jóan Miró. The quartet met success quickly after winning top prizes in several prestigious competitions including the 1996 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Since then, they have traveled all over the world and are now Faculty String Quartet at the University of Texas at Austin. For a third year, the Miró Quartet returns as artists in residence at the Lake Tahoe Music Festival’s Music Academy. The group will train and advise youth and adult musicians enrolled in the music academy through June 25 but will also perform two concerts for the public. The first is June 19 featuring guest pianist Anton Nel at Patterson Hall, Sierra Nevada College, 999 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village. The second is June 25 at Squaw Valley Chapel in Olympic Valley. Both shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10-$30. Call (530) 581-1184 or visit www.tahoemusic.org.—Kelley Lang