Hank Dutt

Mead Witter School of Music Guest Artist Series. $20.

media release: The longtime violist of the Kronos Quartet, Hank Dutt has been a major figure in expanding the role of chamber music of the 20th and 21st centuries. With Kronos, he was part of a major commissioning project, with many works written to showcase Dutt in particular.

Dutt graduated from Indiana University, where he studied with violists David Dawson, and Georges Janzer, earning his BM and MM degrees. Mentors at the university included János Starker and Josef Gingold, and among his collaborators at school was future Kronos Quartet cellist Joan Jeanrenaud.

In 1977, Dutt joined the Kronos Quartet. With over 40 albums to its credit and having performed worldwide, the Kronos Quartet has been called "probably the most famous 'new music' group in the world" and been praised in philosophical studies of music for the inclusiveness of its repertoire.

Kronos has performed live with the poet Allen Ginsberg, Astor Piazzolla, The National, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Tom Waits, David Bowie, Paul McCartney and Björk, and has recorded with Nelly Furtado, Rokia Traoré, Joan Armatrading, Brazilian electronica artist Amon Tobin, Texas yodeler Don Walser, Faith No More, and Tiger Lillies. It has worked with many minimalist composers, including John Adams, Arvo Pärt, George Crumb, Henryk Górecki, Steve Reich, John Luther Adams, Roberto Paci Dalò, Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Peter Sculthorpe and Kevin Volans.

The 2023-2024 season marked the 50th anniversary of the Kronos Quartet, which featured celebratory concerts, premieres, and events at Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium.

In July 2024, Dutt retired from the Kronos Quartet and was succeeded by Ayane Kozasa.