by Jeff Selesnick
From Juilliard to jazz and Ravel to rock, the W4RP Quartet will blend styles and genres when they take the stage at Concord Community Music School’s historic Recital Hall on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6 PM. While all four members of the ensemble are classically trained, the group’s repertoire blends classical, rock, jazz, and pop styles to create a dynamic and varied experience for the audience. The group, which features Mikael Darmanie on keys, Josh Henderson on violin, Ju Young Lee on cello, and Rick Martinez on drums, has led workshops and master classes at schools and colleges across the U.S. and played shows in the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.
With programs like our Bach’s Lunch series and faculty and student recitals throughout the school year, CCMS is committed to ensuring everyone has access to world-class music education and performance. And thanks to a partnership between the Music School and the Avaloch Farm Music Institute (Boscawen, NH), the W4RP Quartet concert will not only be free to all, but it will also feature a workshop that precedes the show.
“We are excited about our continuing collaboration with Avaloch Farm Music Institute,” says Music School Executive Director Daniel Acsadi. “CCMS and Avaloch are both dedicated to providing engaging and powerful musical experiences to our region, many of them free and open to everyone.”
Avaloch Farm Music Institute opened its doors in 2012 as a musician’s retreat and cultural hub for the central New Hampshire region. In the years since its opening, it has blossomed into a creative space that offers residencies to musicians, events like the Avaloch Chamber Music Festival and the annual Composer’s Conference, and space and equipment for professional recording. The partnership between Avaloch and CCMS has strengthened over the years, most notably through the composition mentorship program where CCMS students have the opportunity to receive free composition lessons and have their work premiered by a professional ensemble during the Composer’s Conference.
“A partnership with CCMS seemed natural to us, as CCMS has a longstanding history of providing musical engagement opportunities and music education accessibility for students of all ages and backgrounds,” notes Jessica Tong, co-artistic director at Avaloch.
The W4RP Quartet’s relationship with Avaloch began a few years ago when the ensemble was selected for one of the organizations Creative Residencies. These residencies provide a unique opportunity for individual musicians or groups to dedicate focused time to a specific project, and include living accommodations, meals, and rehearsal/recording space. Along with the ability to develop projects, artists in residency have an educational element weaved into their stay that is a hallmark of the Avaloch experience.
“The musicians and ensembles that come to Avaloch for creative residencies are not only world class artists, but also dedicated educators who are deeply committed to building community through music,” notes Tong. “For these Educational Artist Residencies (EAR), we wanted to ensure that the musicians would not only have an opportunity to inspire through their performances, but to mentor the next generation of aspiring young musicians.”
With the educational piece established as a foundation, it was only natural that when the two musical institutions developed the concept of a W4RP Quartet performance, a workshop was part of the vision. Selected to be the featured ensemble for the spring 2026 EAR initiative, the group of Avaloch alumni was an obvious fit for a show at CCMS, as part of the initiative includes performances with surrounding educational organizations in New Hampshire. “Collaborating with CCMS allows us to make even more meaningful connections to the community with our visiting musicians,” says Tong.
The CCMS recital hall stage will be bustling throughout the end of the spring semester, and the W4RP Quartet workshop and show will help kick-start a stretch of performances that local music lovers won’t want to miss.
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