Catalyst Quartet
As part of Chesapeake Music’s Interlude Series, the Catalyst Quartet will perform at The Ebenezer Theater at 2 p.m. on November 23. The Quartet, which has performed in venues all over the world, is famous for its amazing ensemble unity, as well as its unequaled class of execution.
The ensemble includes violinists Karla Donehew Perez and Abi Fayette; violist Paul Laraia; and cellist Karlos Rodriguez.
We had the opportunity to interview Paul Laraia about the program the Quartet will perform this November in Easton and asked him to explain the Quartet’s priorities and points of view about the music they perform.
What is the specific program for the November 23 concert in Easton?
We’ll be presenting Cinematic Refuge, a program built around three visionary composers who each found creative sanctuary in film and storytelling. The program includes Philip Glass’ String Quartet No. 3 (“Mishima”), Bernard Herrmann’s Echoes, and Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s String Quartet No. 2. Each of us in the quartet felt drawn to these works because they show how composers known for cinema translated that same intensity and color into chamber music. It’s a chance for audiences to experience the intimacy of a string quartet with the sweep and imagination of the silver screen.
Why did you select those pieces? What is special about each one?
Glass’ Mishima began as a film score and later became one of his most widely performed quartets, blending hypnotic repetition with bursts of lyricism that mirror the inner life of the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. His music challenges us as performers to create momentum through the tiniest of shifts, which is both demanding and exhilarating.
Bernard Herrmann, whose music defined suspense in films like Psycho and Vertigo, wrote Echoes as a chamber work that carries his unmistakable dramatic voice. We love how he uses color and silence to build a sense of cinematic tension.
Korngold, one of the great architects of Hollywood’s Golden Age, poured his lush harmonic language into his Third Quartet, written late in life. Playing this piece feels like inhabiting a grand opera house on a chamber scale — deeply emotional and full of humanity.
Together, these works remind us that film composers weren’t only writing for the screen but were also profound artists in their own right.
What advice do you have for attendees at the November 23rd concert? Are there special aspects of the performances attendees should listen for and focus on?
We’d encourage listeners to let themselves be swept into the atmospheres. In Glass, notice how tiny rhythmic changes shift the entire emotional landscape, almost like watching light move across water.
In Herrmann, you might feel as if you’ve entered a suspenseful film scene, with textures that build unease and sudden clarity.
And in Korngold, allow the soaring melodies to wash over you — some of us in the group find ourselves singing his themes for days after rehearsal! Whether you’re an experienced concertgoer or hearing this music for the first time, there’s an immediate emotional pull, but also layers of detail to discover on repeated listening.
When researching information about The Catalyst Quartet, I understand you have a passion for contemporary works. Please say more about that and how that passion influences the music that you play.
Contemporary music is vital for us because it keeps the quartet tradition alive and connected to today’s world. We’ve been fortunate to collaborate closely with composers like Jessie Montgomery, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Jorge Amado, a Cuban composer whose music reflects his roots while speaking to broader global traditions.
Rehearsing with living composers is always a two-way dialogue: we bring our knowledge of quartet tradition, and they push us into new ways of thinking about sound and storytelling. For example, Jorge Amado’s writing draws deeply from Cuban rhythms and sound worlds yet feels universal in its emotional reach. These collaborations remind us that the quartet is not a museum piece; it’s a living, evolving art form.
I understand that you were founded by The Sphinx Organization. Please explain how that came to be.
Yes, Catalyst Quartet was born out of the Sphinx Organization, which is dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Three of us are alumni of the Sphinx Competition, and in 2010 we came together with a shared vision of forming a quartet that reflects the world we live in.
I joined the group in 2013, just as we were embarking on our first major initiative, The Bach/Gould Project. That project taught us how to think expansively about programming and collaboration and has been central to our growth ever since.
When Jessie Montgomery left the quartet in 2020 to focus on her extraordinary composing career, violinist Abi Fayette joined us. Although not a Sphinx alum, Abi immediately resonated with our ethos and mission. She has built on those foundations with her artistry, curiosity, and commitment to excellence, strengthening our identity as a quartet that combines performance at the highest level with advocacy and innovation.
I also understand that you have a serious commitment to diversity and education. Please give us some examples of how you put that into action.
This commitment is at the very heart of who we are. Our Uncovered project is one of the clearest examples. It’s a multi-volume recording and performance series dedicated to works by historically overlooked composers of color, including Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Florence Price, William Grant Still, and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson.
Sharing this music has been transformative, not only for audiences but for us personally, as it deepens our understanding of the tradition we belong to.
On the educational side, we’ve led multi-year residencies at Chamber Music Northwest and worked extensively in schools and community programs, mentoring the next generation of musicians. For us, advocacy and education aren’t separate from performance — they’re interwoven into our artistic mission.
You have played in so many venues. What are some of your favorites? Do you have some special concerts that stand out in your many years of performing?
We’ve been fortunate to perform in remarkable venues like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where we recently completed a multi-year residency. Each space brings something unique—the grandeur of a large concert hall, the intimacy of a chamber stage, or the beauty of playing among great works of art.
One standout memory was performing Uncovered programs for audiences hearing Florence Price’s quartets live for the first time — the sense of discovery and shared pride in that moment was unforgettable.
Another was our collaboration with artists like Cécile McLorin Salvant and Aaron Diehl, which reminded us how powerful music becomes when genres and traditions meet.
Tell us more about your Grammy Award.
Winning a Grammy was both humbling and energizing. We were honored to be featured on Cécile McLorin Salvant’s album Dreams and Daggers, which won in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category. That experience showed us the richness of collaboration across genres, and how chamber musicians can bring their voice into new contexts.
More recently, our own recording Uncovered Vol. 3 was nominated for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance in the classical category. That nomination felt especially meaningful because it recognized the importance of bringing overlooked composers into the spotlight. These honors remind us that when we stay true to our mission, the larger artistic community is listening.
How do you differentiate your string quartet from other quartets?
Every quartet has its own identity, and ours is rooted in curiosity and inclusivity. We are committed to expanding the repertoire through overlooked voices, contemporary collaborations, and creative programming that reframes familiar works.
At the same time, we approach everything with the highest artistic standards — whether it’s Haydn, Glass, or Jorge Amado. What makes us unique is this balance. We honor the great traditions of the quartet while also insisting that it must reflect today’s world. Our audiences know that when they come to hear Catalyst, they’ll experience something both deeply rooted and refreshingly unexpected.
Chesapeake Music offers a limited number of free tickets for students, educators, and Talbot County First Responders, as well as a “buy-one-get-one” option for first-time patrons of Chesapeake Music. General admission tickets are $50. Visit the event page for tickets and more information.
Based in Easton, Maryland, and celebrating its 40th Anniversary Year, Chesapeake Music is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that brings renowned musicians to delight, engage, and surprise today’s audiences, and educate, inspire, and develop tomorrow’s. Learn more at ChesapeakeMusic.org.
Based in Easton, Maryland, and celebrating its 40th Anniversary Year, Chesapeake Music is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that brings renowned musicians to delight, engage, and surprise today’s audiences, and educate, inspire, and develop tomorrow’s. Learn more at ChesapeakeMusic.org.
