A string quartet is a rare jewel among musical ensembles for many reasons:  first, four musicians have to agree to a great deal of their time practicing together.  Second, players must adjust to each others idiosyncrasies while learning to perform as a single entity.  Third, the four must agree on the musical interpretations of the pieces they play. 

Delaware has such a jewel in the Copeland Quartet.  Eliezer Gutman, violin, Thomas Jackson, violin, Nina Cottman, viola and Mark Ward, cello have reached a high point in their ensemble playing since the quartet was formed in 2003.

The group has established a level of communication that allows them to complete lines of very fast scales so that . . . one voice simply melts into the next as if one player were pushing a "now cello, now viola, now violin" button.  And, when they played a variation in the Andante movement with pizzicato and forte on the offbeat eighth notes, they were perfectly syncopated . . .  Sleeves rolled up, the players provided the tone color Ravel painted in the score with fantastic intonation and listening to the chords they created in each movement.  The effect of the double stop pizzicato against the legato notes in the second movement was electric.  The audience seemed to lean forward to see how it was done.                            . . . Margaret Darby