The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Center for the Arts building was filled with the electric, powerful sound of Sybarite5, a unique, award-winning string quintet on March 4.

Sybarite5, which consists of Sami Merdinian and Sarah Whitney on violin, Laura Metcalf on cello, Angela Picket on viola and Louis Levitt on double bass, is the first string quintet ever to be selected as the winner of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition.

A sybarite is “a person who is self-indulgent in their fondness for sensuous luxury,” according to a dictionary definition.

From the very beginning, the members of Sybarite5 met as students at the Aspen Music Festivals in Aspen, Colo., sharing a strong passion for music.

“Aspen is a very sensuous and luxurious place,” Metcalf said.

Levitt formed Sybarite5 through the love of music and by finding others who also lived in New York.

“We wanted to do this all year round and make a little extra money,” Merdinian said. “We have one rule: play music we love.”

The concert consisted of passionate performances of classical favorites such as Mozart, Dan Visconti and other modern performers and rock compositions, including music performed by Radiohead and Led Zeppelin.

“I loved it. The fusion of rock and string instruments is amazing,” senior forensic investigation major Jed Neumann said.

Each of the artists have performed separately and together on much larger and more prestigious stages, but they mentioned that each performance is different and carried out with a specific goal in mind.

“We want to give the audience a break from their everyday life,” Merdinian said.

To learn more about Sybarite5, visit their blog at www.sybarite5.org or find them on facebook at www.facebook.com/sybaritefive.

Also, their music can be accessed on iTunes.