Join us in celebrating the arts on Saturday, May 11th starting at 1:00 pm at the Saugus Public Library!

We are hosting a concert with the acclaimed Rasa String Quartet in the Community Room at 1 pm.

This will be followed by a public reception for artists depicting the trees of Saugus beginning at 2 pm in the Reading Room. Both events are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served at the reception.

ART: The artwork was created during a April, 2024 program at the Library led by Kelly Slater where participants were encouraged to creatively depict trees in Saugus. Some of the participants agreed to allow us to exhibit selected works in the First Floor Reading Room during the months of May and June. Stop by after the concert to enjoy the works, meet the artists, and enjoy complimentary light refreshments.

MUSIC: Rasa String Quartet are winners of the 2022 Associazione Europea Di Musica E Comunicazione International Chamber Music Competition (Italy,) the 2021 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition (ATL,) the 2020 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition (OH,) and were the 2022-23 ensemble in residence at Phillips Exeter Academy. By exploring the connection between music and storytelling at the heart of folk traditions, Rasa String Quartet delivers engaging and accessible programs that showcase works from a variety of cultures and highlight unknown composers. They seek to educate their audiences by contextualizing the genres, styles, and composers they present, inviting their listeners to approach both familiar and unfamiliar sounds with an open and curious mind. This Saturday’s program, Heroes, delves into the broad concept of “heroism,” exploring its profound impact on the birth of musical expression. Join Rasa String Quartet on this riveting odyssey through the minds of  Spanish, Korean, and German composers as they reveal how their respective versions of “heroes” fueled their imagination and shaped the essence of their art.

Performing Musicians: 

Kiyoshi Hayashi, Violin

Emma Powell, Violin 

Sergio MunÞoz Leiva, Viola

Mina Kim, Cello 

The program for Saturday’s concert:

Joaquín Turina: The Bullfighter’s Prayer

Jungyoon Wie: A Popular Tune

Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13

Rasa String Quartet and Kelly’s art program are sponsored by  generous grants from the Saugus Cultural Council, a local arm of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.