The Center was established by a grant from the May Treat Morrison Trust Estate awarded by Trustee Edward Hohfeld.
Housed at San Francisco State University, the May Treat Morrison Chamber Music Center presents both performance and instructional programs, reflecting Edward Hohfeld’s conviction that music must be taught not only by giving students opportunities to learn from the finest practitioners, but also by seeing live performances by the greatest master artists of the day.
Because the Morrison Artists Series is endowed and not dependent on box-office revenue, it can afford to be daring and innovative in its programming, offering a wide variety of new, experimental, young, as well as established performers.
Pre-professional ensembles accepted into the Fellowship Ensemble program are supported for a two-year residency, during which they are mentored by the Alexander String Quartet, and in turn provide mentoring for SF State music students. These exceptionally talented, experienced and motivated students are given training in an extended range of skills that prepare them for careers in music. Ensembles that have held the fellowship ensemble residency include the Del Sol, Chamberlain, Arlekin, Sausalito, Volta, Nocturne, Afiara and Hausmann quartets.
The Alexander String Quartet directs and coaches all chamber music classes on the SF State campus.
Under the auspices of San Francisco Performances, the Alexander String Quartet annually presents a series of Saturday morning concert-lectures, joined by the distinguished composer Robert Greenberg.
The Alexander String Quartet coaches chamber music in Middle Schools and High Schools in the Bay Area that have strong music programs as well as conduct seminars at schools and colleges throughout California, North America, Europe and Asia. Two yearly seminars bring to the SF State campus the leading young ensembles of the Bay Area, and the success of these seminars is now attracting participants from elsewhere in California.
The Alexander String Quartet maintains close ties with the Capp Street Community Music Center, San Francisco Youth Symphony Orchestra, California Youth Symphony Orchestra, the SF Conservatory Preparatory Division, the Crowden School in Berkeley and the San Domenico School in Marin County.
The Alexander String Quartet appears at least once a year on the Morrison Artists Series and once a year presents an Morrison Artists Series outreach concert off-campus.
