Hank Dutt

The longtime violist of the Kronos Quartet, Hank Dutt has been a major figure in expanding the role of the viola in chamber music of the 20th and 21st centuries. In 1977, shortly after finishing his master's, Dutt joined the Kronos Quartet. The first of Dutt's many recordings with Kronos came in 1979, featuring string quartets by Dane Rudhyar. Among the group's numerous collaborators is composer Terry Riley. Recordings of Riley's music include 2019's Sun Rings. Other composers who have been featured on the group's recordings include Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and Pete Seeger. The 2023-2024 season marked the 50th anniversary of the Kronos Quartet, which featured celebratory events and several releases. Since its founding, the Kronos Quartet has focused on the creation of new music, and as of the mid-2020s, the number of commissioned works and arrangements exceeded 1100. Following that season, Dutt retired from the Kronos Quartet.