The Alexander String Quartet, the remarkable San Francisco-based chamber group known for its longevity (44 seasons!), is officially disbanding in 2025.

Which means that its upcoming appearance at Keyboard Concerts (7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, in the Fresno State Concert Hall) will likely be the last time that fans of the quartet will get to hear it perform in Fresno.

The ASQ has a close connection with the Fresno classical-music scene and has some hardcore fans here. (In 2022, I featured a charming interview with David Fox, who rattled off five reasons he loves the group. His piece also gave me the opportunity to write one of my favorite headlines: “For the Alexander String Quartet’s biggest Fresno fan, ASQ and you shall be answered.” (You’re allowed to groan.)

I caught up with Sandy Wilson, an original co-founder of the group, to ask him about the group’s connection to Fresno and his feelings about finishing up the run of the ASQ.

Q: You have many ardent fans in Fresno, and I’m sure they were disappointed when they heard the news that the Alexander String Quartet will disband in 2025. Is it emotional for you knowing that when you go to a city as ASQ, it’ll be the final time? (Or are you over people asking you about it?)

A: It is a bittersweet sentiment for us all — but perhaps especially for me — I am the last remaining member who has been in this position since 1981. That said, 44 years is a very long time — I just struggle figuring out where all that time went. I mean, I feel like I’m just turning about 55 but in fact I’ll be 70 at my next birthday. I truly believe that there is life after “String Quartet” and I want to have some real quality time with my wife and family. After all is said and done, our families have all invested hugely in our musical enterprise — we couldn’t have done this without them and we all deserve some quality family time together.

Q: Why did the quartet decide to disband?

A: As I approach my 70th birthday, I knew I needed to move on to my “grown-up life” and yet, my three younger colleagues are all still in their 40s. As much as I might have wished that the quartet would continue to yet greater high-water marks after my retreat, it was their decision to embrace their respective next chapters. When all is said and done, that will always be my greatest reward and accomplishment in that they each have their own objectives and ambitions to embrace in the wake of the ASQ’s wonderful “wild ride!“

Q: I understand that all the members will continue to teach and perform (but individually). What are your specific plans?

A: I am looking forward to spending a lot more time with my wife and our wonderful new English Labrador puppy on lots of extended and vigorous walks. She is a treasure keeping us young and active with our entire family. We hope to manage some adventurous overseas traveling with our large and far-flung extended families and, of course, lots of books, experimental cooking and exploring the nooks and crannies of our wonderful home state of California.

Q: When I’ve talked to people about the quartet over the years, the word I kept hearing was accessible — that you made chamber music fun and easy to embrace. What do you think the “secret sauce” was that made you all so relatable? Was it chemistry? Personality?

A: The “secret sauce” is in the unbelievable repertoire that we’ve been privileged to dig deep into over a long period of time. Combined with the respect and humanity that binds us all together — the advice, the appreciation, the guidance, support and even the criticism. It all accrues to a splendid collaboration. The music isn’t ours — it belongs to ALL of us and to our collective history. We are merely the ciphers and we cannot accomplish this in a vacuum. Our audiences have reliably worked enormously hard to help us elicit the connections we’re able to realize. We’ll never hesitate to attempt to articulate 18th century masterpieces alongside 21st century essays in new music. They all help us catalogue the essential human lived experience regardless of our contemporary or contemporaneous existential challenges. To be able to stitch it all together in the universal language of live-music is a sobering and yet joyously rewarding responsibility.

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Q: Do any Fresno memories stand out for you?

A: Over the years we have spent a LOT of time in Fresno and established some indelible relationships with many wonderful and generous people. There have been many memorable social gatherings, some special and enduring friendships, some intense rehearsals, teaching through the CSU Summer Arts Program, the Lorenz Series, some exquisite music-making, some world premieres and some collaborative commercial recordings, many more for posterity, excellent shared meals, master classes … It’s all just a big beautiful collaboration.

Q: What would you like to say about ASQ’s final program for Keyboard Concerts?

A: The program is lovely: an early Haydn quartet (where it all began), a brand new luminous work by a young Los Angelean Iranian-American composer from just last year that embraces the poetry of Emily Dickinson, and a collaboration with a superb pianist and artist, already a friend, despite that that this is a brand new musical partnership for us all. What more could we ask?

Giveaway: You can win a pair of tickets to this special concert of the Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concerts series. To enter, leave a comment on this post by 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11.