Harmony, Not Hate 

The Mystic String Quartet with guest artist, Big Lux 

October 19, 2024 4:00 pm 

St Mark's Church, 15 Pearl Street, Mystic, CT

Recognizing the importance of music for healing the heart, four local musicians came together during the height of the 2020 pandemic’s despair to form the Mystic String Quartet (MSQ). Their goal was simple: support their local community through music. Initially playing outdoors, the MSQ (Linda Suriyakham, Martha Crum, Tina Doran and Kris Meier) soon began to perform in local venues in Southeastern Connecticut, including the Donald Oat Theater in Norwich, New London's Maritime Museum, The Meeting House at the Olde Mistick Village and local churches.  

Troubled by the "hate malignancy" of recent years, MSQ decided to fight hate with harmony. This fall, they will play a benefit for the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) work in the area of hate and extremism. The SPLC's work is of national scope, and it recently initiated a campaign to show the relevance of its work to New England, where it has been tracking the activity of hate groups. The benefit, Harmony, Not Hate, is cosponsored by the St. Mark's Anti-Racism Task Force (STart). 

Harmony, Not Hate will feature guest artist BIG LUX (aka Kevin Lowther II), the Westerly-based hip hop violinist, social activist, veteran, Westerly RI council member and law student. MSQ and BIG LUX will collaborate on several pieces, including original compositions by Lowther. Other works include the hauntingly beautiful Anton Arenky quartet, Opus 35a, from the late classical period and "At the Purchaser's Option," a bluegrass inspired song written by Rhiannon Giddens and adapted for string quartet under the Kronos Fifty for the Future project. 

The concert is free and open to the public. Donations in support of SPLC’s anti-hate work can be made directly through the site or at the concert. Please support SPLC's mission, and join the MSQ to celebrate harmony on Saturday, October 19. Your contribution makes a big difference!

For more information about Big Lux, click here. 

The SPLC is a catalyst for racial justice, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. For more information on its work fighting hate, click here.