Winner of the 2006 and 2008 GRAMMY® Awards for Best Classical Crossover category, Turtle Island fuses the classical quartet esthetic with contemporary American musical styles, and by devising a performance practice that honors both, the state of the art has inevitably been redefined. Cellist nonpareil Yo-Yo Ma has proclaimed TIQ to be “a unified voice that truly breaks new ground – authentic and passionate – a reflection of some of the most creative music-making today.” Formed in 1985, the Turtle Island Quartet has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings.

Returning to the Pollak stage after wowing audiences last season with her recreation of the love story between Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell that resulted in some of the biggest hits of their careers, Lauren Fox’s new show is wistful journey through a time and place where today’s musical icons became legends. From the mid-sixties to the early-seventies, something magical took place in Southern California…and it all happened in a bucolic stretch of hills, just above the Sunset Strip, called Laurel Canyon. Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, The Eagles, and Crosby, Stills & Nash, to name just a few, all lived, loved, created, and collaborated there. Lauren Fox tells the story of this epic time in American music history, and sings the songs that it inspired.

As the founder of the Byrds, Roger McGuinn is firmly established as an indisputable industry icon. From his signature 12 string Rickenbacker sound, to his instantly recognizable vocals on hits like Turn, Turn, Turn, Eight Miles High and Mr. Tambourine Man, McGuinn didn’t just make music; he made history. He was on the leading edge, combining the rock beat of the Beatles with the folk sensibilities of Bob Dylan, to create the genre known as “folk-rock.” Roger’s solo career began in 1973 and has yielded 10 albums, a Grammy nomination, and extensive touring and performing for enthralled audiences ever since.