The Perugino String Quartet will share its passion for music with Grand Valley State University as part of the Arts and Noon Series.

Grand Valley State University professor Diane McElfish Helle is one-fourth of a resident quartet with more than 50 GVSU performances experienced together.

“This would be a great concert for someone who hasn’t heard a string quartet or much classical music before because within one hour there is a huge variety of wonderful, engaging music,” said Helle. “The Mendelssohn ‘Capriccio’ is like a stormy, passionate tale… The Borodin Quartet No. 2 is a sunny, breezy, feel-good sort of piece with lots of energy and beautiful quartet writing.”

Helle is one of two violinists in the quartet; the other is Eric Tanner.

Tanner has played for the Florida Philharmonic, the New Orleans Symphony and is currently second violin in the Grand Rapids Symphony.

“All of us have traveled the world individually to perform music, but Perugino String Quartet has only toured within the state of Michigan so far,” Tanner said. “We’re impressed with the high quality of both the music faculty in residence here at GVSU and the visiting artists who come to share music from diverse cultures and historical periods.”

Tanner compares events at GVSU favorably with any found nationwide, and said students are lucky to have an opportunity to see and hear great concerts both in Allendale and in Grand Rapids.

“My favorite part of performing is feeling a connection with the audience while playing phrases expressing different moods and characters,” Tanner said.

Helle said a live performance is about making everyone feel very present and alive in the moment.

The quartet plays at noon on Feb. 1 in the Cook-Dewitt Center on the Allendale Campus.

“I thought that playing the violin was like magic when I was a kid, and after all these years I still think so,” Helle said.

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