Thirty-five years ago, four American string players formed a quartet with the express purpose of melding the wide range of music performed in North America, both past and present. To honor the significant lineage of these musical traditions and the profound relationship between them, the quartet borrowed an “old/new name for the continent, based on many creation myths of the people who have been here for millennia.” “Turtle Island” is the origin story shared by many First Nation people of the Eastern Woodlands, where it is said that the entire continent of North America was built from soil placed on the back of a great Turtle. This myth has inspired a unifying bond between many tribes.

Since its inception, the Turtle Island Quartet has undergone many transformations. Beginning in 2020, they transitioned from an ensemble that features a hybrid of arranged standards and new repertoire, such as the group’s recent Bird’s Eye View, to an original music ensemble. To commemorate their new identity, the quartet, resident composer and violinist David Balakrishnan with violinist Gabriel Terracciano, violist Benjamin von Gutzeit and cellist Naseem Alatrash, built an ambitious, multi-composer commission. Island Prayers celebrates the range of influences within the rich cultural spectrum of the continent “Turtle Island.” The project features four (4) venerable and accomplished composers with varying life experiences and musical foundations:

1. Six-time GRAMMY®-award winner, double Oscar® Nominee and EMMY® Nominee Terence Blanchard.
2. MacArthur Genius Fellow and Silk Road Ensemble Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens.
3. New Music USA Composer-in-Residence and Joyce Award Winner Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate
4. GRAMMY®-award winning Turtle Island Quartet founder, composer in residence and violinist David Balakrishnan