Mission:

The mission of the DSQ is to connect audiences to composers and their influences by bringing to life the human context of each score's creation. They achieve this mission through:

Performance
Year-round live performances, educational programs, and outreach efforts that portray the world of chamber music compositions.

Research
Musical interpretations, program notes, and pre-concert lectures informed by rigorous research and preparation.

Discussion
Performance discussions evoking the social, historical and philosophical environments that influenced and inspired composers to create the music.

Insight
Live performances that express the intentions and zeitgeist informing each work rather than adhering to strict interpretations of a score.

Varied Style
Cultivation of different styles to fit different composers and compositions, rather than nurturing a "DaPonte String Quartet-style" that influences each work performed.

Themed Programs
Programming developed around particular themes, so pieces interact with one another to explore specific influences.

Education
Educational programs for youth and adult musicians that focus on the study of chamber music, its preparation and performance, through a careful consideration of the great works of string quartet literature and the circumstances of their creation.

Youth Access
Support for the music education of K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students by providing them with access to live performances and instruction in music history.