tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285159904894219702024-03-13T10:00:14.653-07:00Del Sol SoundsMusical Musings from the Del Sol String QuartetDel Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-15783426478839308762011-11-28T17:52:00.001-08:002011-11-28T18:02:44.477-08:00Broccoli or Romanesco?<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wT4HIdaYBeZmdGC85b2iex_BRUSAGwujCsPaglhgLpSlEY1EfDX_yQej1A_JYbjB_JS4urdyEPkzgins3viztkgT37W7VXHBU2zuhqeCcB_Jk3KI7sAMjDo5lIyTlzmQK89UoIna0Pc/s1600/800px-Fractal_Broccoli.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Yes, Del Sol did in fact recently get compared to broccoli. <div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">"</span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none; ">For a lot of people, seeing them for the first time is like discovering they like broccoli"</span></span></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; ">(</span><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/17/PK531LSI57.DTL#ixzz1f3U7BEgg">Read more here</a>)</span></span></span></b></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Got us to thinking. First, if we were going to be an vegetable with questionable reputation - would it in fact be broccoli? Or kale (as Mark Capelle secretly shared with us as what he thought he compared us to), or carrots, or beets, or say, romanesco. Romanesco - a cross between a broccoli and cauliflower with that same mixture of taste that is - seriously - one of the coolest looking vegetables out there. Hooray for fractal vegetation. Or, as some may say, Martian food. How are we in fact like romanesco? Most people don't even KNOW what it is and probably haven't heard about it. Once they see it, they are shocked and amazed at how wonderful and mysterious it is. Once they taste it, they are in love. Much better and way cooler than broccoli. What's your vote? </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wT4HIdaYBeZmdGC85b2iex_BRUSAGwujCsPaglhgLpSlEY1EfDX_yQej1A_JYbjB_JS4urdyEPkzgins3viztkgT37W7VXHBU2zuhqeCcB_Jk3KI7sAMjDo5lIyTlzmQK89UoIna0Pc/s400/800px-Fractal_Broccoli.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680231749898051986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-85991015426616276922011-11-09T11:26:00.001-08:002011-11-09T11:37:41.157-08:00Toyos - Live Music is Important!<div>For many years now, a staple in Del Sol's musical diet has Gabriela Lena Frank's "Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout." The piece, as Gabriela describes, has 6 movements, each inspired by either a different instrument or a different story from her mother's country of Peru. The first movement is entitled "Toyos" - the toyos are the largest in the panpipe family. </div><div><br /></div><div>What strikes me is how different imagining what something sounds like or feels like versus how what the experience is like in person! While working on the piece, we constantly experiment for getting the "breathiness" of the panpipe in the viola sound and the right kind of "spit" in the pizzicato of the three remaining instruments. In our heads we "knew" roughly how the instrument worked and what sounds we were going for. But the first time that we actually heard live musicians playing toyos - everything changed and became so much clearer. We returned to rehearsal excited and inspired, with a whole new sound world in our ears and then we came up with new ways to replicate those sounds.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can imagine it is the same feeling of listening to music only ever on CD or the computer, and for the first time walking into a hall and hearing music it in person. There is never any replication of the sound waves that rock your ear drums and your body: truly it's the beauty and mystery of live music. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are really excited to be collaborating currently with Gabriela and a local Andean ensemble "Chaskinakuy." Gabriela is exploring how she can innovate by combining the sounds of the two ensembles, and the process is entirely interesting, fun, and challenging. For us, to experience up close and personal, the actual instruments - it really changes everything. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy this video of the toyos - but be sure to check out the collaboration "Incan Insights" - in several installments over the next year in San Francisco Bay Area. </div><div><br /></div><div><object width="400" height="224"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/643893500131"><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/643893500131" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-60006359291972379232011-10-10T14:00:00.000-07:002011-10-10T14:19:22.153-07:00A Marathon Concert? Or Marathon & A Concert?<a href="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/277179_226367777404140_540514128_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/277179_226367777404140_540514128_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />So the trend in the Bay Area has been towards creating marathon-style concerts. One day, lots of groups, lots of music. It's an exciting event for all to attend. A few great events you can keep your eyes peeled for throughout the year: the <a href="http://www.switchboardmusic.com/">Switchboard Music Festival</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/pages/Hot-Air-Music-Festival">Hot Air Music Festival</a>, the <a href="http://www.gardenofmemory.com/">Garden of Memory</a> (on the summer solstice), and of course <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.sffcm.org">San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music</a> "Chamber Music: Live & Free." This year, the 4th <a href="http://www.sfcv.org/preview/san-francisco-friends-of-chamber-music/chamber-music-day-live-free-and-four-years-old">Live & Free</a> is at the De Young Museum on Sunday October 16. It's going to be a exciting day packed full of a variety of wonderful performers, including, of course, the Del Sol String Quartet. <div><br /></div><div>However, Del Sol, in the spirit of marathon concerts, decided to take it one step further. Kathryn Bates Williams, cellist extraordinaire, is actually going to <b>run</b> a marathon before performing at Live & Free. In the early morning hours, she will be seen prancing her way around the entire city of San Francisco, as part of the <a href="http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_events-en_US/2011/04/01/nwm-2011-course-map">Nike Women's Marathon</a>, before landing herself back at the De Young, to play some adreneline-pumped performances of Lou Harrison, Elena Kats-Chernin, and Gabriela Lena Frank. </div><div><br /></div><div>Crazy? Stupid? Totally awesome? Who knows. It wasn't exactly on purpose- Williams had committed to the marathon only hours before finding out the date to Live & Free. Live & Free is such an important community event that the quartet decided to go ahead and participate. We'll let you know how it all turns out - it will only happen with the backstage support of several people who will get mentioned later one. It will be exciting no matter what happens, even if Williams has to limp to get onstage. Thankfully, as the cellist, she's the only one who gets to sit in performance! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-41700936297021043182011-09-18T19:14:00.000-07:002011-09-18T19:27:00.555-07:00Retreating.....<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx7gM9fMcZTbuUscoa-2nTo_hEYfAeRvYQn1nUuIQHSWPwTP4-l_hOYD52ILFeOtwSjQQubQefmRFG2ODyr9Sn-j_eMbq_aB8o_eQQ1vCeEuGxi5F2uusONLAvDr0e2fuNg4pi5o79_g/s1600/100_0154.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBfTwVRQcB_IOLKjLDDNc6SqEqvZo80Sdoft-DnbUpzU0n2uYdKMEcvmdGQpXOTN_AjZnAd3xFyX6n8H8DsRbNdYhGhbveWQWbrkLDbibbm4yxBH3-4OvevmzwUUKcIVLXZVj-5tnepI/s1600/100_0146.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBfTwVRQcB_IOLKjLDDNc6SqEqvZo80Sdoft-DnbUpzU0n2uYdKMEcvmdGQpXOTN_AjZnAd3xFyX6n8H8DsRbNdYhGhbveWQWbrkLDbibbm4yxBH3-4OvevmzwUUKcIVLXZVj-5tnepI/s320/100_0146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653888733573716930" /></a>That looks like the appropriate amount of music & scores to be out in rehearsal, yes?!<br /><div><br /></div><div>The quartet recently took a much needed 3 day retreat into the woods. Why is a retreat so important? For three days, we each removed ourselves from our normal environment with its constraints, responsibilities and demands (in addition to city noise!) and threw ourselves into long days of quartet rehearsing and the occasional blackberry picking. It gave us time to prepare for the start of this season as well as brainstorm lots of ideas for the coming years. Often times in "modern society" we want to squeeze the most into the smallest amount of time - in an hour meeting, we often are supposed to not only articulate our artistic dreams and ideas but figure out how to implement them perfectly as well. These days gave us some beautiful space to just let ideas - both musical and practical - sit and ferment. The lack of internet access turned out to be a nice way to unplug and connect with each other (even if certain members of the quartet were eager to check their e-mail!) The quiet beauty of the area, the star-filled night skies, and the plentiful pears, apples, and berries made the whole quartet feel incredibly blessed and rested at the end of those days! Until the next retreat.....</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx7gM9fMcZTbuUscoa-2nTo_hEYfAeRvYQn1nUuIQHSWPwTP4-l_hOYD52ILFeOtwSjQQubQefmRFG2ODyr9Sn-j_eMbq_aB8o_eQQ1vCeEuGxi5F2uusONLAvDr0e2fuNg4pi5o79_g/s400/100_0154.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653891326920554002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-27111757244651395592011-08-16T16:16:00.000-07:002011-08-16T16:58:44.359-07:00How do you spell Chautauqua?<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div>After being invited to perform at the Chautauqua Institution in June (as part of the Monday afternoon Logan Chamber Music Series), it took some of the quartet several months to finally figure out how to actually spell Chautauqua. Perhaps it was due revenge when the prelude article to our performance in the Chautauquan Daily accidentally ran a picture of former cellist Hannah Addario-Berry in the <a href="http://chqdaily.com/2011/06/27/del-sol-string-quartet-showcases-contemporary-chamber-music/">article</a>. (Obviously, they must have mistaken the red-hair!)</div><div>
<br /></div><div>After 16 hours of travel - by various motorized vehicles and several different planes - we arrived in the serene Chautauqua the night before our performance. After resting a little - and sound checking a lot - we got ready to perform at 4p.m. with Gabriela Lena Frank's <i>Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout</i>, Ronald Bruce Smith's <i>Quartet No. 3</i>, Chinary Ung's <i>Spiral X</i>, and Reza Vali's <i>Nayshaboorák.</i></div><div><i>
<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>sound checking for Ung & Smith</i></div><i><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5_9RZ0zlzJ1mQB6SOIyZ_Km6cOu_4GT7IY2CXzf5zGuKZA8u_MA3QNNLRpiPGNiMD7kRGvALS7vEolcSePPu8rKTJZ_N9fDiM5KMwvL5_GhgNAn3Raqz5H2-estk3iIFotxhlr9Arj0/s320/chautauqua2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641606133158074290" /></i></div>The concert was well-received, although it seemed that this music was quite novel to many of the audience members. We were so grateful to have 2 of our composers with us - Ronald Bruce Smith and Reza Vali!<div>
<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ron in the hall sound-checking</i></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyAFe-BRWQhBn1fiyQrzJUnlol-43IU6176JyTdyXpDBZ9KCVCYz8ChWo0TsC4kq3O_7h_ORM9L0FcGfqjmsBL8JCC52-pmukwiJhTV_AtW9L9O-pjFzvWLlC9ZSp4IidRSMXz1g_bA4/s320/chautauqua1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641606867841608322" /></div><div><div>
<br /></div><div>We were graced in the audience with the presence of the newest member of the Cleveland Symphony, Katherine Bormann, who brought us many well wishes.</div><div>
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwIG_qo9flLFD8MRnWegMiZacVhEgeXkQNAtMvazhvMqvBiHzm8ytKGgaoicz_m2tk1b9taF4wKhKF-N1Y72w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div>
<br /></div><div>All in all, it was a great trip. Charlton got to rekindle fond memories from his summer spent in Chautauqua 20 years previous and show everyone around to the old haunts. Then it was back to San Francisco for Quartetfest Session 2! </div></div></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-65609105942424505242011-06-17T09:37:00.000-07:002011-06-17T09:47:43.116-07:00Springtime in NYNew York City was a particularly beautiful place for Del Sol’s whirlwind tour this past April. For the five magical days, the city lavished us with spring colors as we explored mostly brand-new venues and many enthusiastic audiences from Brooklyn, to Downtown, to the Upper West Side.<br /><br />On the first night of our tour, we converged at the avant-garde <span style="font-weight:bold;">Café Orwell</span> in Brooklyn wiith Amy X Neuburg, playing for a lively young crowd . The next night we played at the historical Gershwin Hotel as part of Vicky Chow's <span style="font-weight:bold;">Contagious Sounds</span>, a new music series focusing on adventurous contemporary artists and composer. The concert was in an intimate, old and lustrous ballroom - while it was only one third of its original size, it is definitely an acoustical “find” in Manhattan. <br /><br />A third concert took place the following afternoon-Easter Sunday-in the beautiful penthouse home of Jonathan Vincent, where some young fans were dyeing elaborate Easter eggs before the concert. There were spectacular panoramic views and pictures of his late grandfather, famed singer Theodore Upmann, everywhere you turned.<br /><br />For our final concert, we played closing night of the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Cutting Edge New Music Festival</span> curated by Victoria Bond at Symphony Space. Composers Reza Vali, Ben Johnston, Ronald Bruce Smith and Amy X Neuberg participated in person to introduce their piece in a lively dialogue with Bond. (Amy X additionally performed with us as part of her first string quartet!) Despite the physical absence of 85-year-old Ben Johnston (at home in Wisconsin), we were able to include him in the concert via Skype video, which proved to be quite delightful. Despite the difficulties of Ben’s meticulous and complex use of "just intonation," with great patience and perseverance, we made the piece our own to an enthusiastic New York reception.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-71788934837077450582011-06-17T09:24:00.000-07:002011-06-17T09:34:44.578-07:00A (non) Winter Trip to DC<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-right: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.18698796769604087" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Is it almost summer already? Del Sol is a bit seasonally confused because, in February, we travelled to a balmy 70 degree Washington DC to perform two engaging all-Asian programs. Our performance of works by six composers at the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery featured Kui Dong's “Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Suite” for string quartet and traditional Chinese instruments - this concert was in conjunction with the the exhibition "Seasons: Chinese Landscapes" at the museum. Guest artists playing </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "><i>pipa, sheng, guzheng, </i>and Chinese strings and winds accompanied us with the composer participating, and the <i>Washington Post </i>reviewer praised the work for "exceptional beauty and imagination." </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "> Three of the six featured composers attended the performance (Kui Dong, Reza Vali and Koji Nakano), further captivating the audience in a delightful evening, despite any mishaps due to the DC metro shut-down the Smithsonian stop. Sadly, post-concert, after-museum-hour photos in the gallery did not pan out! </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-right: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-right: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">The following day, we performed the entrancing string quartet version of Koji Nakano’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Time Song III </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "> at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theatre, sponsored by the S & R Foundation. In this piece, we </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">evoke the spirits of transfigured souls by shouting and singing while playing our instrumental line. This distinct and powerful music provided many interesting conversations later that evening, at reception hosted by the foundation - few people had ever heard music like it! </span></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-57333156372657107582011-06-14T22:53:00.000-07:002011-06-14T22:54:41.411-07:00We're Back!We're back to blogging, so check out this page every so often and find out what is on our musical brains, what we've been up to (maybe we're playing on top of 15 foot ladders!), and much much more!Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-90727796816589246542009-07-13T22:07:00.000-07:002009-07-14T07:44:27.063-07:00Summer 2009<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">1. Del Sol String Quartet’s New York Debut<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">2. “You Are Hear” at San Francisco International Airport<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">3. Other Minds Festival 14</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">4. Virginia Waring International Piano Competition<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">5. “Mestizaje” Del Sol’s Home Season Concerts<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">6. “Wet Ink” Concert</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">7. Garden of Memory</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">8. CD Reviews</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">1. Del Sol String Quartet’s New York Debut<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">We will perform our first concert at Symphony Space in New York City on October 1st, co-presented by the Polish Cultural Institute. We will play string quartets by two contemporary Polish composers, Pawel Mykietin and Pawel Szymanski. Also on the program will be the New<br />York premiere of “Esencia,” written for us by Cuban-American composer Tania León, through a commission from the Fromm Music Foundation, as well as a work by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz. The following day, October 2nd, we will present a lecture-concert at New York’s Korean Cultural Service, featuring music by Paul Yeon Lee as well as other Korean composers. Stay tuned for more details this fall!<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">2. “You Are Hear” at San Francisco International Airport<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This summer Del Sol treats travelers to an eclectic program of music, new and old, as they pass through SFO. Presented by Tarmac Music, this performance series brings great Bay Area musical groups to SFO every Friday through the summer. The Quartet’s next airport performance will be on August 21st, 11am-2pm. For those of you traveling that day, please come visit us in Terminal 3!<br /><br />3. Other Minds Festival 14<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7s2GoHcLsyk_G-YppKJDxD1lICiIi-cikvPkizCp5zN3BSqq6WkmFUIGeoLZj2BM1Me555-BMV9BuH1P4bLiRZ3OlhUdscp6Mpbfp9pOpILaIjow2qLAa_la1NWp4uUin0RLLhyphenhyphenOEew/s1600-h/OM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7s2GoHcLsyk_G-YppKJDxD1lICiIi-cikvPkizCp5zN3BSqq6WkmFUIGeoLZj2BM1Me555-BMV9BuH1P4bLiRZ3OlhUdscp6Mpbfp9pOpILaIjow2qLAa_la1NWp4uUin0RLLhyphenhyphenOEew/s200/OM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358325822665506146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Del Sol played to packed houses for all three nights of the Other Minds Festival of new music in San Francisco in March. Del Sol’s cellist, Hannah Addario-Berry, recalls: We spent the weeks leading up to the festival immersing ourselves in composer/pianist Michael Harrison’s glorious and challenging ‘Tone Clouds’. This piece, written for Del Sol, uses a ‘just intonation’ tuning system, which required us to retrain our ears and fingers to match his specially-tuned piano. He joined us to perform the world premiere of ‘Tone Clouds’ for String Quartet and Piano, and we look forward to recording the piece someday!”</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW7gXslGHRRdR0bH5n65aamPaNeUq-GYBXuuP-UlXFMfOb8eO2VLITowaY9PdTqN63tKDKKYwNeHCCwqFIgigOqggieA2Q_ZWgDRKDAuqNnTdtQBoZnXxSD5Ew0cGV4QlTLx8N5NFTuc/s1600-h/a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW7gXslGHRRdR0bH5n65aamPaNeUq-GYBXuuP-UlXFMfOb8eO2VLITowaY9PdTqN63tKDKKYwNeHCCwqFIgigOqggieA2Q_ZWgDRKDAuqNnTdtQBoZnXxSD5Ew0cGV4QlTLx8N5NFTuc/s200/a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358323276158532514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In addition to Harrison’s piece, we performed the world premiere of “Gondola”, a new work written for Del Sol by Toronto-based Linda Catlin Smith (and commissioned through the Canada Council for the Arts). Also, it was wonderful to get to know the young Polish composer, Dobromila Jaskot, on her first trip to the U.S., and perform her quartet “Linearia.” And of course, we greatly enjoyed the opportunity to work with composer Chinary Ung and perform his “Spiral X: In Memoriam” again. In a review of the festival, London Financial Times critic Allan Ulrich wrote: "Chinary Ung’s Spiral X: In Memoriam recalls the Cambodian holocaust through lush string textures<br />punctuated by the wailing and keening of the members of the Del Sol</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> String Quartet, the dedicatees and superb interpreters of the piece. A true cry from the heart."</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />4. Virginia Waring International Piano Competition<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Also in March, Del Sol traveled to Palm Desert, California to perform as the quartet-in-residence for the Chamber Music Round, at the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition. In three intense days and two concerts, the quartet members rehearsed and performed piano quintets by Brahms, Schumann, and Franck with the 12 finalists in the competition. “It was a treat to perform some old masterworks with a variety of incredibly talented young pianists and interpreters. We look forward to seeing their careers blossom in the coming years.” (Charlton Lee, Del Sol Violist)<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">5. “Mestizaje” Del Sol’s Home Season Concerts<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In May we presented our Bay Area Home Season concerts in Point Reyes Station and San Francisco, including world premieres of two brand-new works written especially for Del Sol by composers Paul Yeon Lee (Korea) and Tania León (Cuba). Both composers came out from New York City to join the Quartet for the San Francisco concert and educational outreach activities. The Quartet, together with Lee and León, presented their pieces to young music students at San Francisco’s Community Music Center and School of the Arts, followed by an<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">interactive conversation among the students, Quartet members and composers. The Home Season program also included Linda Catlin Smith’s “Gondola” (premiered in March at the OM Festival), and the String Quartet No. 5 by Philip Glass. San Francisco Classical Voice reviewer Beeri Moalem wrote that Del Sol’s “commitment to new music is</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> essential to keeping our classical music community living and breathing, with current composers who write from the depths of their soul as well as the profundity of their brain.”<br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">6. “Wet Ink” Concert<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSA5GjqiwaDGs6Rv-3ki28wBooIXuZXwPpU-InWcvi0MVNTUcS0cKfpgA9_ipfx5m2QZYaNfCyS_odVkkm3FBMMFZISgzILxNRE13_8f1ftZskZgzFEVry8sN24Po1IOVBQB0SnEoyds/s1600-h/b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSA5GjqiwaDGs6Rv-3ki28wBooIXuZXwPpU-InWcvi0MVNTUcS0cKfpgA9_ipfx5m2QZYaNfCyS_odVkkm3FBMMFZISgzILxNRE13_8f1ftZskZgzFEVry8sN24Po1IOVBQB0SnEoyds/s200/b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358323697925033218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In June Del Sol visited Grass Valley, CA to perform at the “Wet Ink” concert hosted by the Music in the Mountains Summer Festival. The Quartet had the opportunity to work with four composers from the Nevada City Composers Cooperative, Jay Sydeman, Mark Vance, Jerry Grant, and Randy McKean, and performed the world premieres of each of their string quartets on a beautiful evening at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.<br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">7. Garden of Memory<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Del Sol performed again at this year’s annual Summer Solstice event “Garden of Memory” at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland. Taking place in the beautiful Julia Morgan-designed columbarium, this event is a wonderful bazaar of new music ensembles, composers, electric and acoustic musicians. Audience members wander through the maze of hallways and alcoves and chapels, stopping to sit and listen to their favorite ensemble or a newly discovered treasure. The Quartet performed a wide range of music from Glass to Gershwin and was thrilled to reconnect with didjeridoo master, Stephen Kent, to play Peter Sculthorpe’s beautiful piece for string quartet and didjeridoo.<br /><br />8. CD Reviews<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Del Sol’s two recent CDs have been a hit with the reviewers!<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjSisen4STnUKfJZukdOdpVTu9XUnz0GCLrZydXhVgbnWnaLTdhmPLrOvfwJh-QQXaCVHcwrznAvVDFVvJbGxIMuv_CynWnSd3yha22-l1DlTobTC6FCL_SbZGnh_KXVSJB1yHftG-1g/s1600-h/B.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjSisen4STnUKfJZukdOdpVTu9XUnz0GCLrZydXhVgbnWnaLTdhmPLrOvfwJh-QQXaCVHcwrznAvVDFVvJbGxIMuv_CynWnSd3yha22-l1DlTobTC6FCL_SbZGnh_KXVSJB1yHftG-1g/s200/B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358325998096735474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">“First Life” (2009), which features world premiere recordings of rare early works for string quartet and solo piano by Marc Blitzstein was released by Other Minds Records this April. (OM 1017-2): “... the Del Sol players produce a gloriously opulent, full-throated tone that prevents exuberantly inventive writing from catching an expressive chill. Warmly recorded and perceptively played, this is music well worth getting to know.” (Strad magazine)<br /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZBDFxAIZQvwW9-1dqCaW5FXD_6Vlg4gai3ZQb7-Hv4Sd2Ms_0JzWfsRFYR-zXDi6X_YAynCqdCEEcb-DqIKaKiByqVX7zCu10hxZkl5qjEmrgBLfHiO94wWWRg-qf5p6oOz75hsV5YQ/s1600-h/ROF.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZBDFxAIZQvwW9-1dqCaW5FXD_6Vlg4gai3ZQb7-Hv4Sd2Ms_0JzWfsRFYR-zXDi6X_YAynCqdCEEcb-DqIKaKiByqVX7zCu10hxZkl5qjEmrgBLfHiO94wWWRg-qf5p6oOz75hsV5YQ/s200/ROF.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358326402360258546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">“Ring of Fire-Music of the Pacific Rim” (2008) (OM-1016-2) “No fault-lines in this spirited musical journey around volcano country” Gramophone called Del Sol “masters of all musical things surveyed on this disc” (Gramophone magazine)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Full reviews and links can be found on our <a href="http://www.delsolquartet.com/press.html">website</a>.<br /><br /></span></span>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-53000318481831469192009-02-09T11:26:00.000-08:002009-07-09T19:33:53.806-07:00Happy Year of the Ox!<span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. Other Minds Festival 14<br />2. Blitzstein CD: "First Life"<br />3. Chamber Music America<br />4. "Composing Together" Schools Program<br />5. Rave Reviews for Ring of Fire<br />6. Commissioning Joan Jeanrenaud<br />7. Your Support is Crucial<br /></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. Other Minds Festival 14<br /></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSW2RUOiPtr-ZfF3dXy2z8O99B4YHBag6MKoWhv8K6q-1788ObJnx5bKQbgMosTXTTp3X6s0ROXLw1PwnxDjxGv-7h-ZeHHZ_o_XZNoK-4gkQ9Gi_7u7lufLJ0LivmC8q4ZpVO7DuW84/s1600-h/OM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSW2RUOiPtr-ZfF3dXy2z8O99B4YHBag6MKoWhv8K6q-1788ObJnx5bKQbgMosTXTTp3X6s0ROXLw1PwnxDjxGv-7h-ZeHHZ_o_XZNoK-4gkQ9Gi_7u7lufLJ0LivmC8q4ZpVO7DuW84/s200/OM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356314677360106706" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Del Sol plays the music of Chinary Ung, Michael Harrison, Dobromila Jaskot, and Linda Catlin Smith at the Other Minds Festival 14 on March 5-7, 2009 at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. Three of the composers wrote their works specifically for Del Sol, and the Quartet will be performing on all three nights of the Festival, including two world premieres and one U.S. premiere. Check out the remarkable tuning system of Michael Harrison, who will play his specially tuned, “just-intonation” piano with the Quartet in his piece, "Tone Clouds," on the Festival’s closing night. The Quartet’s participation in the Festival is supported, in part, by a generous grant from the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation.<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Trio con Brio Copenhagen and the Amsterdam Cello Octet are also coming to town for the three-day Festival, along with a host of other performers and composers. Concerts take place March 5-7: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">evenings at 8 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. The specific programs for each evening’s </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">concert are listed at <a href="http://www.otherminds.org/">www.otherminds.org</a>. For tickets, call the JCCSF Box Office at (415) 292-1233 or order <a href="http://www.jccsf.org/content_main.aspx?catid=338">online</a>.<br /><br />2. Blitzstein CD: "First Life"<br /><br /></span></span><span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNscN3zcfvajCBk05YyHY13L-XrNojJWHTkFqS_4-AGMeIjfeIrwPbrdGt5a4v2XLpqPsTxqPvC6id0SldkLyvIosea1vmTvX8zK9jVk3s6tycEG31yCOPc-37pWUhso_8B843XGBeIc/s1600-h/B.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNscN3zcfvajCBk05YyHY13L-XrNojJWHTkFqS_4-AGMeIjfeIrwPbrdGt5a4v2XLpqPsTxqPvC6id0SldkLyvIosea1vmTvX8zK9jVk3s6tycEG31yCOPc-37pWUhso_8B843XGBeIc/s200/B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356315004777628562" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This April, Other Minds Records will release "First Life," a CD featuring world premiere recordings of rarely-played early works by American composer, Marc Blitzstein (1905-1964), performed by the Del Sol String Quartet and pianist Sarah Cahill. Del Sol recorded Blitzstein's complete string quartet repertoire--Quartet for Strings "The Italian" (1930) and the Serenade for String Quartet (1932)--and Cahill plays the Piano Sonata (1927), Piano Percussion Music (1929), and the Scherzo "Bourgeois at Play" (1930). "First Life" will be available for sneak-preview purchase at the Other Minds Festival this March, or <a href="http://otherminds.org/cgi-bin/shop.pl/page=Blitzsteincd.html/SID=PUT_SID_HERE/buy=1">online</a>.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. Chamber Music America<br /><br /></span></span><span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-bctamQx_hyphenhyphenAdTC4LQCKnGUkbRDCeYz7vSyEiAlg_OkSVNy7ZDD4XnqcxcQ74JgBxOLOOulI-vHeBw94JJjhfbi14rvBL9ULEjpKi7PYpninM3_H2G0p_Uhd1CbHZqdi5Xuxk1eMSDo/s1600-h/C.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-bctamQx_hyphenhyphenAdTC4LQCKnGUkbRDCeYz7vSyEiAlg_OkSVNy7ZDD4XnqcxcQ74JgBxOLOOulI-vHeBw94JJjhfbi14rvBL9ULEjpKi7PYpninM3_H2G0p_Uhd1CbHZqdi5Xuxk1eMSDo/s200/C.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356315345144742706" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In January, Del Sol violinist Kate Stenberg performed with pianist Eva-Maria Zimmermann in New York City at the closing "American Masterpieces" concert of the 2009 Chamber Music America National Conference. This concert honors chamber groups that have been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts in the past year. The duo played Ruth Crawford Seeger’s violin Sonata in the beautiful Saint Luke’s Church, on a program shared with the Harlem String Quartet, The Parker Quartet and the String Trio of New York. A few years ago Del Sol played Crawford Seeger’s masterful 1931 string quartet and have recorded the Andante movement on their “Tear” CD (2002).<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Violist Charlton Lee also attended the CMA Conference, joining Del Sol’s booking agent, Peter Robles of Serious </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Music Media, to meet with presenters on whose concert series the Quartet will perform in the coming seasons. They also enjoyed Kate’s and Eva-Maria’s concert from the audience. Charlton later spent a beautiful, snowy day with </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">composer Michael Harrison, discussing and working on Del Sol’s upcoming premiere of his “Tone Clouds” piece for </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">string quartet and piano. While in New York, the land of composers and food, Charlton also shared meals with two </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">other composers writing works for Del Sol--Tania León and Paul Lee-- whose quartets will be premiered at our Home Season concerts in May.<br />photos from left to right: Kate Stenberg, Eva-Maria Zimmermann, Charlton Lee – photos by Charles Amirkhanian<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. "Composing Together" Schools Program<br /><br /></span></span><span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmhkp1Tngc3gGcKfL-ymEP8RgXXJbf44JFy4maopkXvRKqcYjlc49Ul1qwk79GIS1cmaMinwjPp1iWTCzxzvRKFoyOeZk41klDL5I8rV8_IGfxxrMFsjQa8_PICHx-UoL3R9ufamG_Fc/s1600-h/D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmhkp1Tngc3gGcKfL-ymEP8RgXXJbf44JFy4maopkXvRKqcYjlc49Ul1qwk79GIS1cmaMinwjPp1iWTCzxzvRKFoyOeZk41klDL5I8rV8_IGfxxrMFsjQa8_PICHx-UoL3R9ufamG_Fc/s200/D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356315885720301122" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Del Sol collaborated with local composer and educator, Katrina Wreede, in a highly successful educational program last fall reaching traditionally under-served students in three public middle and high schools in San Francisco and the East Bay. In several classroom visits during the semester the Quartet members and Katrina provided students with hands-on mentoring to compose their own music through a process tailored to their varied musical experience, understanding and skill levels. At the end of the project the Quartet performed the students’ works in concerts at each </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">school, which was recorded on CDs for the participants. In evaluating last year's program, one participating teacher commented: "I would do this project every year. This is a superb project for school </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">musicians." We hope to continue and expand the program to five schools this fall if we can raise the required funding from foundations and other supporters.<br />Washington High School students - photo by Jill Hendricks<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5. Rave Reviews for Ring of Fire<br /><br /></span></span><span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_e0paLmiG291z0Zyi7txa9q8mfgvVUE5sdv7MOQKVE_UlaGYv-XU_JtJY5K6KfE0zIOnALXbetYeEFjdRR67850C_NFXy3vWW1c-31U1BGRhteooSE7hpLAOHogCSOockoNUqzolTeqk/s1600-h/E.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_e0paLmiG291z0Zyi7txa9q8mfgvVUE5sdv7MOQKVE_UlaGYv-XU_JtJY5K6KfE0zIOnALXbetYeEFjdRR67850C_NFXy3vWW1c-31U1BGRhteooSE7hpLAOHogCSOockoNUqzolTeqk/s200/E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356316609388774210" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Del Sol’s new CD, “Ring of Fire: Music of the Pacific Rim,” released in 2008 on the Other Minds label, has been praised by critics from San Francisco to the UK as “ear-opening” and a “bracing sampler, performed with sensitivity and flair.” (The Boston Globe). The December 2008 issue of Gramophone magazine published a glowing, half-page review with color photos, calling the Quartet “masters of all musical things they survey on this disc, playing with a combination of ferocious attack, riveting interplay and silken splendour.” See our <a href="http://www.delsolquartet.com/sampleringoffire.html">website</a> for complete reviews and to buy the CD.<br /><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia,-webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">6. Commissioning Joan Jeanrenaud</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 66px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2FEvDtwSN7KvSpzyjJKyW-IHBR7jXUfJuGXOzrNjlQ30DTdO0eNq_R3IJyuPebPCGqJCCnsF5W5r7YQEu0IK7YMWwSJHKFbTRpuDROTSu2BRCqZKXN1lXR_7nCAg0eHqioEh28JOCrk/s200/F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356320436642263938" border="0" /><p style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;font-family:Georgia;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This year we are beginning a new project with San Francisco composer, Joan Jeanrenaud, to write her first string quartet for Del Sol. The Quartet members are excited to work with Jeanrenaud, a new music champion and acclaimed former cellist of the Kronos Quartet. This project is supported by foundation grants awarded to us by the American Composers Forum and The San Francisco Foundation, along with generous matching gifts from several of our individual donors. We expect to premiere the new work at our 2010 Home Season concerts.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;font-family:Georgia;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Left to right Kate Stenberg, Rick Shinozaki, Hannah Addario-Berry, Joan Jeanrenaud, Charlton Lee – photo by Frank Addario</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;font-family:Georgia;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">7. Your Support is Crucial</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;font-family:Georgia;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We appreciate so much the generous response of donors to our 2008 Year-End solicitation. Because of the recession, like many other nonprofits, we began cutting costs last fall and have cut our 2009 budget further. We depend on the generosity of individuals like you to continue making contemporary chamber music accessible to the public through the Del Sol Quartet’s work. Your gifts support continuing our “Composing Together” collaboration in public schools this fall, our Home Season concerts in May, and two new multi-media projects that we hope to begin this year, plus our ongoing operations. You can donate </span></span><span style="color: rgb(186, 73, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.delsolquartet.com/support.html">online</a></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Thank you to all of you who have continued to support us through hard times, and we hope that others also will give as generously as they can.</span></span></p></span></span></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-49199312216380652392008-08-06T05:11:00.000-07:002009-07-09T19:32:12.142-07:00Happy Summer!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">1. "You Are Hear": Music at SFO<br />2. Ring of Fire CD<br />3. Memories of "Lines of Listening" Project<br />4. Memories of Quartetfest<br />5. Memories of Garden of Memory Summer Solstice<br />6. New Grants<br />7. Donate<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">1. "You Are Hear": Music at SFO<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14I156JcvogCdhI0SumH4ka8IUZn8XXYOtVvYHLGyhEk6rJJC0Z7ccCBNexKW7aCCNBRG2b5wa8mI2y3zJaVpyXJvuHmOT1s-qK4VFTGBRcwQbVAxhyurLi45XZLvPcSZtG703GAHMx8/s1600-h/a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 110px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14I156JcvogCdhI0SumH4ka8IUZn8XXYOtVvYHLGyhEk6rJJC0Z7ccCBNexKW7aCCNBRG2b5wa8mI2y3zJaVpyXJvuHmOT1s-qK4VFTGBRcwQbVAxhyurLi45XZLvPcSZtG703GAHMx8/s200/a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356651969239519314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">On August 1 the Quartet will inaugurate a new music series, "You Are Hear," presented by Tarmac Music at San Francisco Airport. We will play three sets of music from the Del Sol repertoire for travelers arriving, departing and waiting for flights in the International Terminal.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />2. Ring of Fire CD</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRW8Waw1L6tJt2PuiS4RBq0S0DLI58ytgW47dCOE6DA8BLJbRSwTig5y9WNX93U1DHbbu0ZEwWq-nNpoyFDJyKZ0FX-ZZJpBqr_Nfl_OOgZxuK8cHbojXwE7I78F6f3j8kXyjStUcrTQ/s1600-h/d.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRW8Waw1L6tJt2PuiS4RBq0S0DLI58ytgW47dCOE6DA8BLJbRSwTig5y9WNX93U1DHbbu0ZEwWq-nNpoyFDJyKZ0FX-ZZJpBqr_Nfl_OOgZxuK8cHbojXwE7I78F6f3j8kXyjStUcrTQ/s200/d.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356653628139884146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">It’s here! After six months of intensive work, we have released our new CD, “Ring of Fire: Music of the Pacific Rim” (on the Other Minds Records label). It includes “Spiral X: In Memoriam” by Chinary Ung, which Del Sol premiered at the Library of Congress this past fall, and pieces by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Gabriela Lena Frank, Hyo-shin Na, Kui Dong and Jack Body. You can buy it through our <a href="http://www.delsolquartet.com/sampleringoffire.html">website</a> or from <a href="http://www.otherminds.org/cgi-bin/shop.pl/page=index51.html/SID=PUT_SID_HERE/buy=1">Other Minds</a>. It will also be available from retailers later this summer.<br /><br />3. Memories of "Lines of Listening" Project<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In collaboration with psychiatrist/filmmaker Laura Schwartz, on July 7 the Quartet was filmed and recorded at Skywalker studio in Marin County for an experimental, multi-media project exploring the creativity and psychology of sound and music making. Hannah recalls, "Laura presented us with a Glazunov string quartet, for which the scores had been severely disfigured. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Our heads spun as we attempted to make sense- and music- out of the displaced notes, extra staff lines or lack thereof, and absence of clef. I've never been so relieved to see a 'normal' sheet of music as when we finally played through the piece with real, properly notated scores, and discovered what a lovely piece of music it is! All this in front of a team of camera crew and microphones. I'll be excited to see the final documentary!" Rick remembers, "We take for granted that music notation will be written in a format we are familiar with. What happens when the rules of notation are subtly or not-so-subtly twisted, and we are left to our own devices to decipher this newly-deformed sheet music? In front of a battery of video cameras? At the end of the day, we were able to reconstitute an obscure quartet by Glazunov, but only after a full day's effort and and an interesting adventure in </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">problem-solving and group dynamics."<br /><br />4. Memories of Quartetfest<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHe8y7JXtzVw7oCCqvNkYjOs6RUaFe6OcZBG-9dW12XatIiiQ7sI_eco138e9DPDTNgfJN5Y8xiDPQrfErDRwgdWnN1kHvx2eDo0Gu1KGG2dP8O5OAdFm6jRL2D923q148Bb5fBrR3Kg/s1600-h/b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHe8y7JXtzVw7oCCqvNkYjOs6RUaFe6OcZBG-9dW12XatIiiQ7sI_eco138e9DPDTNgfJN5Y8xiDPQrfErDRwgdWnN1kHvx2eDo0Gu1KGG2dP8O5OAdFm6jRL2D923q148Bb5fBrR3Kg/s200/b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356652481739265314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">For years, Del Sol has been leading a fabulous program for young chamber musicians, that has been the center-pin of their educational outreach in the Bay Area. Four groups meet for an intensive seminar of mainly modern quartet music coached by the Del Sol, which ends with a final public performance followed by a potluck dinner. The newly expanded 4-day QuartetFest workshop for kids (ages 10-18) was a refreshing experience for all who attended. They were excited to tackle the various challenges of this new music with its extended techniques and complex rhythms. The additional 2 days gave the Del Sol ample opportunity to expand the QuartetFest experience in several ways. Kate and Charlton expertly led morning classes in Chen Style Taiji to help the students relax and get their focus. Violinist and special guest artist Jeremy Cohen led the group in three intensive sessions on the Blues and Tango music, with it’s own extended instrumental techniques, leading up to an exuberant performance of the "Del Sol Blues" composed collaboratively by the entire class! The four student quartets </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">also performed works of Shostakovich, Mozart, and Zhou Long. Deepest thanks to Steve and Sara Kahn, for allowing us use of their Pacific Heights house for QuartetFest!<br />Photos by Rick Shinozaki. Clockwise from left: Hannah Addario-Berry, James Pak; Andrea Chung, Tara Sola, Kate Stenberg, Aku Sorensen, Erica Wong; Gabriella Smith, Eli Wirtshafter, Leon Truong, Charlton Lee. Not pictured: Dylan Mattingly.<br /><br />5. Memories of Garden of Memory Summer Solstice<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNABnrOGLUF8ic9QOoWHGbWEWVwu8Cgn9fmB59qnF1hLzGOUXdQhHxAY72HZZRJJmpVJktdMjETQyQv4Iz1tEZO_hRObup-DdxnQWMI9c8_6k-vZOdqAonhhhiC9PsrcO3ybu2K3-5W4/s1600-h/c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNABnrOGLUF8ic9QOoWHGbWEWVwu8Cgn9fmB59qnF1hLzGOUXdQhHxAY72HZZRJJmpVJktdMjETQyQv4Iz1tEZO_hRObup-DdxnQWMI9c8_6k-vZOdqAonhhhiC9PsrcO3ybu2K3-5W4/s200/c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356652807764584210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">On June 21, one of the hottest days so far this year, the Quartet performed at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland for the annual “Garden of Memories” concert. Stephen Kent, famed didjeridu player, collaborated with the quartet on a couple of pieces. The all-day concert series included more than 30 different musicians and ensembles playing in various intriguing spaces within the famed Art Deco Columbarium building (designed by architect Julia Morgan). Kate Stenberg took flight down the stairs on her breaks to play one of Amirkhanian’s solo pieces “Rippling the Lamp” that he wrote for her to perform at the Other Minds “New Music Séance” last year. Rick recalls: "Throngs of music lovers lined the halls and milled around the Chapel of the Chimes for this annual event. Del Sol sweated it out in the aptly titled 'Chamber of Effulgence' for a warm audience (literally), in friendly competition with the widest variety of musical acts that the Bay Area has to offer. The positive energy and enthusiastic participation by all made 'Garden of Memories' a natural fit for Del Sol. Photo by Charles Amirkhanian. Left to right Stephen Kent, Kate Stenberg, Rick Shinozaki, Charlton Lee, Randy Fromme (substitute cellist)<br /><br />6. New Grants<br /><br />The San Francisco Foundation awarded us $10,000 for "Composing Together," an arts education program we begin this fall to introduce public school kids in three Bay Area counties (SF, Contra Costa, and Alameda) to composing their own works, in collaboration with composer/educator Katie Wreede. We also received $500 in June from BMI Foundation, Inc. for general operations and the first installment of $9,600 on our grant awarded by the SF Arts Commission Cultural Equity Program for our 2009 Home Season concert next spring.<br /><br />7. Donate<br /><br />You can help support our mission to advance the classical music tradition by making a <a href="http://www.delsolquartet.com/support.html">donation </a>online!<br /></span></span>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-27866250040047102752008-06-13T08:45:00.000-07:002009-07-06T20:51:45.573-07:00Happy Summer!<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">1. Ring of Fire CD</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2. Quartetfest</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3. Memories of Ring of Fire Concert</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4. Memories of Leakey Event</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">5. Spring Fundraising Drive</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia; min-height: 12.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">1. Ring of Fire CD</span></span></p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYqMsjwh9i-hyrL4bYj7VvutjzlNqvC-9K2S-YDyM4dmyAhvvqNXLtkpmFErDcG3dT_Kb31gziD340bpD_gkW0_DTecrjhTMuBm0zW2mi8gcnUSjJoztT-qEHhbFs28IoK93CehsxY-0/s200/ROF.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355559415412794802" /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It’s here! After six months of intensive work, we have released our new CD, “Ring of Fire: Music of the Pacific Rim” (on the Other Minds Records label). It includes “Spiral X: In Memoriam” by Chinary Ung, which Del Sol premiered at the Library of Congress this past fall, and pieces by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Gabriela Lena Frank, Hyo-shin Na, Kui Dong and Jack Body. You can buy it through our </span></span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DelSolPerformingArts/9de7817189/TEST/b791a8c2dd"><span style="color:#ba4900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">website</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> or from</span></span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DelSolPerformingArts/9de7817189/TEST/f2c5341a8a"><span style="color:#ba4900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Other Minds</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. It will also be available from retailers later this summer.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2. Quartetfest</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">June 30th – July 3rd</span></span><span style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 175px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5IdFbmRHqAQB6PCMROvTzCb45ZLnVNIAX9Z_Si-idtZ0LSB8k8h7fPc43j4kiDzTewQiY6uTgj7t1rD6xYecbUx14VEsKE9ZZD2OMtNiRzn4gdnWEXDbkOW337HnG3J47-uTczh6Ssw/s200/QF.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355559782757343282" />Del Sol String Quartet will be presenting an expanded 4-day intensive QuartetFest this summer, June 30th through July 3rd. It will take place at the beautiful Pacific Heights home of Steven and Sara Khan in San Francisco that they are so generously donating for the event.</span></span><span style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As one of San Francisco's premier string quartet training workshops for young chamber musicians, QuartetFest is a great opportunity for young string players to immerse themselves in the art of rehearsal and performance of the string quartet repertoire. One of Del Sol’s delights is to expose the students to a variety of contemporary music and improvisation during the course of the workshop. Often the students not only perform on their stringed instruments but also demonstrate their talent as composers or improvisers or both!</span></span><span style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This year, jazz violinist Jeremy Cohen joins the members of the Del Sol String Quartet as their special guest artist, offering his expertise in coaching improvisation and various jazz and tango styles. A fun event for all, the QuartetFest ends with a concert presented by the students followed by a festive potluck dinner. We even have QuartetFest t-shirts, designed by artist Kris Yenney, for participants, friends and family. Contact </span></span><a href="mailto:kate@delsolquartet.com"><span style="color:#ba4900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Kate Stenberg</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> for more info.</span></span><span style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">left to right: Grace Lu (violin), James Stoner (violin), Edwin Lai (cello), Hannah "Bing" Addario-Berry photo by Rick Shinozaki</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3. Memories of Ring of Fire Concert</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It was a fabulous experience to finish this big project with our May 2008 Home Season concert and CD release party, with our commissioned composer—Chinary Ung—in attendance. The San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s intimate Recital Hall, in their new building at Civic Center, was a perfect venue for the concert. Our new CDs (received hot off the press just days before the concert) were available to purchase at the party afterwards. In honor of Chinary we served delicious Cambodian food from Angkor Borei Restaurant as we mingled with the audience. And, of course, we could not have done all of this without your support--our audience, donors, board members and volunteers--and your continuing interest in hearing new music written now by composers still living and breathing! Thank you!</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4. Memories of Leakey Event</span></span></p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bBnySIia2YfNEW7-QXYqirtBaR9vtAdahLZDhvoUqHruMe6kn45Roqd9-w9BRtplM3syo6IwT-3memEEUg0C_lWJwEniS-IXTDUyRbDSJpcUoLrJbFi7Zu_8sKwTOF698zz-sMqDK5s/s200/Leakey.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355560084028471762" /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">On May 30 Del Sol performed at the Jewish Community Center of SF for The Leakey Foundation, in collaboration with The California Academy of Sciences. The event featured a fascinating lecture, “The Musical Instinct,” by cognitive archaeologist, Dr. Steven Mithen (University of Reading, UK). He made a compelling case for the evolutionary value of music and why humans evolved as a musical species. The Quartet enlivened the lecture and demonstrated his points by playing various short pieces, from Bach to Blitzstein and other music from Del Sol’s contemporary repertoire. </span></span><span style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">left to right: Hannah Addario-Berry, Charlton Lee, Dr. Steven Mithen, Kate Stenberg and Rick Shinozaki</span></span><span style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">photo by Jane Kumin</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, fantasy;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">5. Spring Fundraising Drive</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Individual contributions to the Del Sol Performing Arts Organization made up 20% of our total revenues last year and are critical to our continuing operations as a nonprofit organization. It’s never too late or too little to donate—we greatly appreciate support at whatever level. Gifts from donors like you enable the DSPAO to continue bringing new chamber music to the Bay Area by funding composer commissions and expanding our educational outreach programs like QuartetFest (see above). Please return your tax-deductible contributions as soon as possible. For more information, or if you prefer to donate online, please visit our website and click on the </span></span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DelSolPerformingArts/9de7817189/TEST/822906c82c"><span style="color:#ba4900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">link</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> to a secure site for credit card contributions. We are extremely grateful for your support!</span></span></p>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-54420297470190206092008-04-05T15:51:00.000-07:002009-07-06T20:26:05.951-07:00Happy Spring!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. Music at Kohl Mansion</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. Temecula Presents</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. CD Release and Concerts (May)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. Quartetfest</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5. Memories of Switchboard Music Festival</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6. Memories of Stringwreck</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7. Grant</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8. Future Recording</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. Music at Kohl Mansion</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 82px; height: 107px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2TkdsABwOVjq4jhr0cM6OFnQLeRJrt2eCTdh7a4q9WQ3n408QRq1wvNkM0Qrv-tRpOYsd3twSdHpUtMcGlfo3Ugfr3j7XDjjoY489m4HLIhEOcveZWWfYMfXI41x1U7ho09-rNbG63o/s200/KOHL.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355549427487898178" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We are in the midst of our "Music at Kohl Mansion: Music in Schools" program in Burlingame and Millbrae. For our school version of " Music of the Pacific Rim," the 3rd-5th graders are introduced to our puppets Emu and Crow, and everyone participates in an aural volcanic eruption! During April and May, we will visit </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.musicatkohl.org/Kids/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">9 schools and perform</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> for more than 1000 students.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. Temecula Presents</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 90px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGFAg5mlDJrM3GxtM_L7WRFhqp6FsJ-z3laE3NkjMzK-ph-JAvzxC1CzAnr-uvprXBK05c3O5LoIleS5iyU4_R8oM09A8bkpfpIIX7pB9G4j1OhHU6uChOuxWpW83UOsRAz6XV2_NQeM/s200/Temecula.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355550211820326082" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For our Southern California fans, we will be making a stop at Old Town </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://tickets.temeculatheater.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Temecula Theater</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Come and hear repertoire from our "Ring of Fire" Other Minds album release!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. CD Release and Concerts (May)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, fantasy;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 51px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9PfEIfEu64dJlImjLLFbDJx9kvmRypOSkbbFuqFYvJnuf0vbGF2wauOLbSpVCN2DWEIaVOEd4LA3G0PnmpbbXrd5vXtyswrbicJ873gRabzQJ2OKk7axYyyJ1JNzjRX8fZsDJkZMITg/s200/ROF.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355549758525572626" /><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It’s here! Come get a copy of our new CD, “Ring of Fire” (released on </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.otherminds.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Other Minds</span></a></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Records) and hear the music live at our </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">concerts</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> on May 2 (SF with reception following the concert) and May 4 (Pt. Reyes Station). Included is “Spiral X: In Memoriam” by Chinary Ung, which we premiered at the Library of Congress last year. Pieces by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Hyo-shin Na, Kui Dong, and Jack Body are also on the program. Composer Chinary Ung will attend the SF concert on May 2 for the West Coast premiere of his piece. These concert are funded in part by grants from the Argosy Foundation Contemporary Music Fund, Meet The Composer’s MetLife Creative Connections program, San Francisco Arts Commission Cultural Equity Grant Program, San Francisco Grants for the Arts/Hotel Tax Fund, and the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation.</span></span></p></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. Quartetfest</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">June 30th – July 3rd<br />Del Sol String Quartet will be presenting their new expanded version this summer starting June 30th continuing through July 3rd. It will take place in a beautiful Pacific Heights home in San Francisco. This is one of San Francisco's premier training workshops for young chamber musicians and it is a great opportunity for young string players to immerse themselves in the art of rehearsal and performance of the string quartet repertoire. Jeremy Cohen joins QuartetFest as their special guest artist offering his expertise in improvisation and various jazz and tango styles. Contact </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="mailto:kate@delsolquartet.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kate Stenberg</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> for more info.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5. Memories of Switchboard Music Festival</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, fantasy;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 72px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8DI7DlUYxoLJuSwPo61tdL_Kdejm0jONOb-4-31VhzsfeGugGapoGe5hg2nNS7sHyivxcXYJyAfLntnkm4Gy5LWjn3ieqNFnut4pJDIMGGfx6iyWQTkgkYS8G7RGXBaTR4AA7KVw0qQ/s200/SB.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355544726458168450" /><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">March 30<br />There was such a diverse crowd, eager to appreciate the spontaneity and intense creativity of the festival. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rick Shinozaki, Del Sol violinist – “Del Sol had a blast at the inaugural season of the </span></span><a href="http://www.switchboardmusic.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Switchboard Music Festival</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Our two collaborations could hardly have been more contrasting: A really neat uncategorizable quasi-improv with Amy X Neuberg, segueing into the spiritually expansive music of Osvaldo Golijov with the masterly Jeffrey Anderle. There's a special excitement to be in on the inauguration of a new annual festival, and to see the fruition of our friends' dreams. May the Switchboard Festival continue to flourish and grow.” Read the CatSynth </span></span><a href="http://www.ptank.com/blog/2008/03/weekend-music-events/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">blog</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> posting. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6. Memories of Stringwreck</span></span></span></span></span></p></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, 'Times New Roman', Times, -webkit-fantasy;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 178px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_2kkzej75kr0_uk5cUKUOxzG7ZvX0ZQ8_4dnUIyPQSIPVpvYPux_-xtJApHOYkeR5jFaJrRP1532xk_DNKbauSuE2gwckWcSk_KBwJrhQ4r6HCCD8RGkRsZB4KUtFzUCHIePU8q8Ltw/s200/SW.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355546358850566386" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">April 10 - 13</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, fantasy;"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our collaboration with Janice Garrett and Dancers and choreographer Charles Moulton culminated in four performances earlier this month. It was a great success, receiving ovations each night and a flood of positive feedback all around.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"A delight from start finish...a continually thoughtful, surprising and even touching journey.”- </span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">San Francisco Chronicle</span></span></em></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kate Stenberg, Del Sol violinist- “What a joy to play the "Adagio" from Bach's Solo violin sonata as the rest of the quartet and dancers gracefully moved through the space. Janice Garrett and Charles Moulton did a wonderful job of working with gamut of temperaments as well as all the problems of dancing while playing something as difficult as a stringed instrument. In the end, we had a lot of fun!.”</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hannah Addario-Berry Del Sol cellist- “From the first rehearsal to the last performance this project was thrilling and challenging. Janice, Charles, and each of the dancers brought something really new and special to our quartet, and I very much hope that we will continue our work together.”</span></span></p><p><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.danceviewtimes.com/2008/04/a-wreck-that-so.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dance Review Times</span></a></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> review: “…a deliciously entertaining, slightly wacky evening of music and dance that could charm a turnip.”</span></span></p><p><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/12/DDM31041T1.DTL&hw=stringwreck&sn=001&sc=1000"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">SF Chronicle</span></a></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> review: "A delight from start finish...a continually thoughtful, surprising and even touching journey."</span></span></p></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7. Grant</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">FAC notified us that they are awarding us a $12k grant for our May 2009 Home Season (premiering Tania Léon’s first string quartet, commissioned by the Fromm Foundation).</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8. Future Recording</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We are preparing for our next recording, the music of Marc Blitzstein. This will be our third release on the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.otherminds.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Other Minds</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> label, following our George Antheil album and "Ring of Fire." More details to come later!</span></span></div>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-45189047106664621172008-03-27T11:19:00.000-07:002009-07-06T19:20:28.117-07:00Happy Spring!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, -webkit-fantasy; ">1. Switchboard Music Festival</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2. StringWreck<br />3. Memories of Other Minds 13<br />4. CD Release & Concerts (Ring of Fire)<br />5. Strings Magazine mention<br />6. New Board Member: Steve Pacheco<br /><br />1. Switchboard Music Festival<br /><br />Genre-bending! Convention-breaking! Eclectic! Get ready for an 8-hour, non-stop music festival where musicians push the boundaries of their respective genres. Del Sol’s cellist, Hannah Addario-Berry, says “I think that co-directors Jeff Anderle, Ryan Brown, and Jon Russell have done a fantastic job of creating an 8 hour marathon program which is wildly diverse in style. The only common thread that I see across all the sets is that it will be of high quality, exciting, and indefinable. I think it's a great chance for the fans of each of these groups to cross-breed and discover music they may not have had a chance to hear. I'm very excited to have yet another opportunity to perform Osvaldo Golijov's masterpiece ‘The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind’ with clarinetist Jeff Anderle.” More information at </span><a href="http://www.switchboardmusic.com/aboutus.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">switchboardmusic.</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />2. Stringwreck – April 10 through 13<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXt7o1Xf5mZBBXoEnWrhyusetG04fe_DcbdB1NtjZZdzpBN1M4T9CCcUpQ1fKS6lc6iklW4VoYM_oAIce6NTxKvGL4HA9FrqGiCXK7h0obO6IgK_A4Damoq2W1z9qpZtJDT-SFkkHz5Q/s1600-h/stringwerk.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXt7o1Xf5mZBBXoEnWrhyusetG04fe_DcbdB1NtjZZdzpBN1M4T9CCcUpQ1fKS6lc6iklW4VoYM_oAIce6NTxKvGL4HA9FrqGiCXK7h0obO6IgK_A4Damoq2W1z9qpZtJDT-SFkkHz5Q/s200/stringwerk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184715354529069154" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> World premiere! Experimental interaction! Don’t miss this dance theater performance where traditional roles are abandoned. Together with Janice Garrett & Dancers and choreographer Charles Moulton, the Del Sol String Quartet will surprise you yet again. “Dancers become music stands that take flight with the sheet music. A violist is lifted high in the air and is soon at the tumultuous center of a fast moving dance routine. Competition, compassion, communication, misunderstanding, rivalry, harmony – the performers experience all of these as they encounter each other on the stage.”<br /><br />3. Memories of Other Minds 13<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFIfxI5MYAc9td6ZKgM5XasgiGjF5WWXsHCzgbNlh2lNcde42iLzKoKJcYhFXi3xkHY678xGsEHnTQ0NY2Vjco21I9mSfhVhuY2PDhCNRj4phgQdONbJdVvNtAfxKNfZwIzJycB1Ulp0/s1600-h/quartet_djerassi.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFIfxI5MYAc9td6ZKgM5XasgiGjF5WWXsHCzgbNlh2lNcde42iLzKoKJcYhFXi3xkHY678xGsEHnTQ0NY2Vjco21I9mSfhVhuY2PDhCNRj4phgQdONbJdVvNtAfxKNfZwIzJycB1Ulp0/s200/quartet_djerassi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184715354529069170" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Del Sol String Quartet returned to the Other Minds Festival again this year, performing works by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith, Elena Kats-Chernin, and Keeril Makan. “This is the best environment for the Del Sol Quartet,” says Kate Stenberg, violinist with Del Sol, “since we get to work directly with the composers. It was great to work with Elena (from Australia) and Leo Wadada Smith (from LA) and his percussionist Anthony Brown (from the Bay Area) for the first time and also with Keeril Makan again and new percussionist David Shively (from NY) for the piece. Plus, we got to explore the Estaciones de Luz, environmental maze sculpture by Mark Reeves (1984), out at the Djerassi. Ranch.”<br /><br />Read the reviews: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ce00b37c-ef88-11dc-8a17-0000779fd2ac.html & http://www.sfcv.org/2008/03/11/meeting-of-the-minds/<br /><br />4. CD RELEASE AND CONCERTS (MAY)<br /><br />Mark your calendars now. Our new CD, “Ring of Fire,” will be released soon. Come hear the music live at our concerts on May 2 (SF) and May 4 (Pt. Reyes Station), which include the “Spiral X: In Memoriam” piece by Chinary Ung that we premiered at the Library of Congress last year. Pieces by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Hyo-shin Na, Kui Dong, and Jack Body are also on the program. Composer Chinary Ung will attend the SF concert on May 2 for the West Coast premiere of his piece.<br /><br />5. Strings Magazine mention<br /><br />Strings Magazine, April 2008 "News & Notes" column, page 23<br />Awards & Accolades<br />Eleven chamber-music ensembles, festivals, and presenters were honored for their adventurous programming by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers at the annual Chamber Music America (CMA) National Conference in January. Among the recipients were the DEL SOL QUARTET (first place, Mixed Repertory), the SEATTLE CHAMBER PLAYERS (first place, New Music) and EARPLAY (2nd place tie, New Music).<br /><br />6. New Board Member: Steve Pacheco<br /><br />Steve Pacheco has joined the DSPAO board of directors, assisting with PR and Development. His day job is as a mobile software developer in Silicon Valley. He is always seeking out new live and recorded music and plans to take a music tour of Turkey in May. His meditation is his artwork, where he loses himself in watercolors.</span>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-60522397403825250042008-03-02T07:30:00.000-08:002008-03-03T13:08:25.863-08:00Happy Year of the Rat1. Preparing for Other Minds Festival 13<br />2. Rehearsals with Janice Garrett and Dancers<br />3. CD Release & Concerts<br />4. Report from CMA Conference in January<br />5. Review from 1/29 “Coming Together” concert<br /><br />1. Preparing for Other Minds Festival 13<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoIVcJN40LNiYF3VVtPyDZvJ2eOiYbaNiidFXIca-pwdmUk_wNQpXHtVYOGqdcglf5ImQmWisuEg0fP_vJKktg2hWiCZs4-3Ww5LMH-6UlwRFsCjSmCHW-MqPcZ1yl-okYbmPa9rlXlk/s1600-h/OM13.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoIVcJN40LNiYF3VVtPyDZvJ2eOiYbaNiidFXIca-pwdmUk_wNQpXHtVYOGqdcglf5ImQmWisuEg0fP_vJKktg2hWiCZs4-3Ww5LMH-6UlwRFsCjSmCHW-MqPcZ1yl-okYbmPa9rlXlk/s200/OM13.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173624499741054962" /></a><br />Other Minds Festival 13 is next week. Del Sol will be playing on Thursday and Saturday, March 6th and 8th. We are premiering a new string quartet by free jazz legend, Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith, with trumpet and percussion. Smith’s piece, “Taif: Prayer in the Garden of the Hijaz,” suggests a beautiful painting of the sun with colorful spots and ribbons. We have made a recording of an interpretation of a section of this piece and will be playing alongside it during the live performance on Thursday. On closing night, Saturday, March 8, we play works by two other composers — Keeril Makan’s “Static Rising” with percussion, and works by Elena Kats-Chernin with the composer at the piano.<br /><br />2. Rehearsals with Janice Garrett and Dancers<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod_IxCckCD2_zNwCIGF7rRaI3v7cqEWn-_cxH5ZSeiqPadOvhkg91B2OjLe4ZdvyFjEGlmglxAIYGP3CzU9gKEIuovtn2oMX6kvW5P495qVtjHEzIuDBvPmBxnsmPQPr9bxYxVA4LQTE/s1600-h/charlton_dancer.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod_IxCckCD2_zNwCIGF7rRaI3v7cqEWn-_cxH5ZSeiqPadOvhkg91B2OjLe4ZdvyFjEGlmglxAIYGP3CzU9gKEIuovtn2oMX6kvW5P495qVtjHEzIuDBvPmBxnsmPQPr9bxYxVA4LQTE/s200/charlton_dancer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173624504036022274" /></a>We have already begun rehearsals with choreographer Charles Moulton and Janice Garrett & Dancers in preparation for our April 10-13 joint performance. We are being choreographed into the live production and learning how to dance and play our instruments at the same time -- not an easy task!<br /><br /><br /><br />3. CD Release and Concerts (May)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98OeAVXYp_dBVcSWuqpJ31ElUsFkrQT8klx-bx8_j0-nO8iW3ohyphenhyphenIwuhVwut_mFhJyzpX4YeDq3FYFB7lsDjsjrFXY77hFa_xxHz2UlpIfDL5S_272rj4bLEIGGUIuENA6puowX9OSAI/s1600-h/ringofire.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98OeAVXYp_dBVcSWuqpJ31ElUsFkrQT8klx-bx8_j0-nO8iW3ohyphenhyphenIwuhVwut_mFhJyzpX4YeDq3FYFB7lsDjsjrFXY77hFa_xxHz2UlpIfDL5S_272rj4bLEIGGUIuENA6puowX9OSAI/s200/ringofire.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173624508330989586" /></a>Our new CD, “Ring of Fire,” will be released soon. Come hear the music live at our concerts on May 2 (SF) and May 4 (Pt. Reyes Station), which include the “Spiral X: In Memoriam” piece by Chinary Ung that we premiered at the Library of Congress last year. Pieces by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Hyo-Shin Na, Kui Dong, and Jack Body are also on the program.<br /><br />4. Report from CMA Conference in January<br /><br />Charlton, Hannah, Jane (Board President), and Peter Robles (our new Bookings & Publicity agent from NYC-based Serious Music Media) attended the 2008 CMA conference, going to concerts, workshops, and networking with other musicians, presenters, composers, and publishers over four action-filled days. At the CMA/ASCAP awards ceremony, Hannah, Jane and Charlton accepted the First Prize for Adventurous Programming on behalf of Del Sol.<br /><br />Charlton participated in a panel discussion with Frank Oteri, editor of New Music Box. Charlton explained, "New music is anything that hasn't been heard before by whoever's hearing it! Haydn can be new music as much as anything written yesterday." Hannah joined the San Francisco-based group, Melody of China, for a performance of Yuanlin Chen's Wandering in the Journey for the CMA Commissions showcase concert.<br /><br />5. Review from 1/29 “Coming Together” concert<br /><br />Our January 29 “Coming Together” performance in Berkeley, presented by Berkeley Chamber Performances, drew a capacity crowd and was reviewed glowingly in <a href="http://www.sfcv.org/2008/02/05/joyous-eclecticism/" target="_blank">San Francisco Classical Voice</a>.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-73766956400549811752007-12-28T12:14:00.000-08:002008-01-10T12:14:30.726-08:00Happy Holidays!Our holiday season has been merry, especially since we have been receiving good news every week.<br /><br />1. CMA/ASCAP First Prize for Adventurous Programming<br />2. Argosy Foundation Grant Awarded<br />3. Welcome Patrick Flaherty<br />4. Happy Holidays<br /><br />1. *** CMA/ASCAP First Prize for Adventurous Programming ***<br />CMA/ASCAP awarded Del Sol First Prize for Adventurous Programming, Ensemble-Mixed Repertory. Thanks to the generous support from our fans that enables us to concentrate on producing quality new music,this is the second time in three seasons that Del Sol has won this top, national award. Given annually, the award recognizes ensembles, presenters and festivals that have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to 20th- and 21st-century music, especially works written in the past 25 years. In addition to considering originality, the independent panel of judges looked for innovative presentation and audience-development strategies. The prizes will be given out at the Chamber Music America National Conference in New York City on January 5, 2008, which will be CMA’s 30th Anniversary. The awards are given jointly by Chamber Music America and ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).<br /><br />2. *** Argosy Foundation Grant Awarded ***<br />The Argosy Foundation’s Contemporary Music Fund has awarded DSPAO a generous grant of $12,000 for our Pacific Rim project (CD recording and May 2008 concerts). We will be working closely with our recording engineer during the next few months to edit the raw material we recorded at Skywalker Studios this past fall in time for a May 2008 release of the new CD. Donors have been critical for this project; contributors of $1,000 or more by February 2008 will be recognized as a sponsor in the CD liner notes.<br /><br />3. *** Welcome Patrick Flaherty ***<br />This month DSPAO welcomed Patrick Flaherty to our board of directors. Mr. Flaherty is a 30 year broadcasting veteran with producing experience at the national and local level. Most recently he produced KQED TV’s “Spark,” the award winning local PBS program about arts and culture in the Bay Area. Last year he produced the Del Sol String Quartet story for “Spark,” first aired in April 2007 and rebroadcast this past October. Mr. Flaherty has a long standing commitment to the arts.<br /><br />4. *** Happy Holidays ***<br />As the year draws to an end, we want to pause and thank you for your interest in and support of our work. We are thrilled to have such an educated, generous and excited public that inspires us to continue our vision to move new music forward. Thank you so much for your financial support that has been crucial to our success!<br />May the special gifts of health, peace, and happiness be yours throughout the upcoming year.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-55117911170331973092007-11-28T13:57:00.000-08:002007-11-28T14:01:06.982-08:00We’re “Coming Together” with clarinet and didjeridu this November!Contents:<br />1. “Coming Together” concert, Nov. 30<br />2. Zellerbach and Hewlett Community Arts grant awarded<br />3. Follow-up (LOC, Skywalker Ranch, QuartetFest)<br /><br />1. “Coming Together” Concert, Friday, 11/30/07, Old First Church in SF, 8pm<br /><br />In collaboration with clarinetist Jeff Anderle and didjeridu player Stephen Kent, we’re bringing you another one-of-a-kind concert program entitled “Coming Together.” The six musicians, assembled into duet, quintet, and even sextet, will perform four memorable pieces from around the world. <br /><br />Cellist Hannah Addario-Berry and clarinetist Jeff Anderle will kick off the concert with a passionate duet called "Coming Together," by Derek Bermel (b. 1967, New York). Bermel truly captures qualities of the human voice. The two instruments can be heard moaning, laughing, flirting, and even screaming. It is an unforgettable work that will stimulate the imagination! <br /><br />Didjeridu player Stephen Kent and the quartet will perform “Quartet No. 16” written by Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe, who was inspired by letters from Afghan refugees in Australian detention centers.<br /><br />In the third piece “The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind”, Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov fuses elements from the klezmer tradition with some of the more classical string quartet forms. The music is at times meditative, passionate, driving and haunting. Clarinetist Jeff Anderle will join Del Sol on an array of clarinets.<br /><br />Lastly, all six musicians take a break from their usual instruments and instead use Mexican hand drums, stick drums, maracas, and claves. With clapping, stomping, and whispering they tackle an impressive and challenging piece by Mexican Arturo Salinas.<br /><br />This program is co-presented by Old First Concerts in SF and also will be co-presented by Berkeley Chamber Performances in the East Bay on January 29, 2008.<br /><br /><a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">More info.</a><br /><br />2. Zellerbach and Hewlett Community Arts Grant Awarded<br /><br />We think the program is exciting, and the Zellerbach Family Foundation and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation did, too! They awarded us a combined $4,000 through Zellerbach’s Community Arts Program for the “Coming Together” concerts in November and January.<br /><br />3. Follow-up<br /><br />We were busy this time last year, but we’ve been even busier this year!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLw6-KvMGsuA89cN8448U67BildqugdJi5xPGxsopObtaP9SpTDgrg31a0pI4UJfuJ1Ifg56fSEqnDKpNSDwRQvpmGW-yyb2Bl6w_OsSP-K2OO-eE43eV7922kFFSdgitt_0ChlKtfmP8/s1600-h/LOC.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLw6-KvMGsuA89cN8448U67BildqugdJi5xPGxsopObtaP9SpTDgrg31a0pI4UJfuJ1Ifg56fSEqnDKpNSDwRQvpmGW-yyb2Bl6w_OsSP-K2OO-eE43eV7922kFFSdgitt_0ChlKtfmP8/s200/LOC.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138014019417959426" /></a><br />The audience of over 300 at the Oct. 19th Library of Congress concert greeted enthusiastically the world premiere of Chinary Ung’s new work, “Spiral X: In Memoriam,” dedicated to the millions of Cambodians killed by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and gave a standing ovation at the end of the Peter Sculthorpe’s “Quartet Number 16” which concluded the program. We were thrilled that Stephen Kent was able to come out to Washington with three of his beautiful didjeridus in tow to join us for this performance. For those who are interested in which Stradivarius instruments from the Library’s collection the Quartet used for this concert, Kate played the "Betts" violin (1704), Rick the "Castelbarco" violin(1699), Charlton the "Cassavetti" viola (1727), and Hannah the "Castelbarco" cello (1697). (You may be interested in Stephen Kent's <a href="http://www.stephenkent.net/cms//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=247&Itemid=37" target="_blank">blog</a> entry about this concert.)<br /><br />Right after returning from DC we spent a week at the marvelous studios of Skywalker Ranch recording our upcoming Pacific Rim CD. There is something particularly unglamorous and grueling about recording. Our audience of silent yet critical microphones captured every moment for posterity (and subsequent editing by our recording engineer), and we raced against the clock to make every moment count – tackling the music phrase by phrase. As Rick put it, “by the end of each day we were pretty much toast.” You’ll be able to hear the result of all this hard work when we release the new CD, “Ring of Fire,” next May.<br /><br />We went right from the recording week into our Fall QuartetFest intensive coaching workshop held at the Children’s Day School in San Francisco’s Mission District during the weekend of November 3-4. We coached 16 young string players, ages 8 to 18 assembled into four quartets, concluding with a recital (of works by Pleyel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Ravel) and potluck supper for participants, their parents, and supporters. We are especially grateful to our generous, long-time donors Sara and John Hendrickson, as well as the AMCP Foundation, for making QuartetFest possible.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-56473422112676534062007-10-10T09:58:00.000-07:002007-10-19T10:22:39.155-07:00Our 2007-2008 Season Kicks Off with Prestige & PublicityContents:<br />1. Library of Congress “Ring of Fire” Concert, 10/19/07<br />2. Free Noontime Concert, Thursday, 10/11/07<br />3. On TV Again!<br />4. Fall QuartetFest<br />5. More Good News About Grants<br />6. Future Bookings<br /><br />1. Library of Congress “Ring of Fire” Concert, 10/19/07<br />We are honored to kick off our 2007-2008 season with a world premiere concert at the Library of Congress, which is “the de facto national library of the United States and one of the most important libraries in the world.” The venue for our concert, the Coolidge Auditorium, is renowned for the caliber of the artists who have performed there, and for premieres of newly commissioned works.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkEgwST3lh2N8s7PN1SsSqF9xbRBvfxQpRmL6eA7cb1Kkv2c1VI0CnAIHozMZzic-ZD8q2kufYznsUa4rseGHs4fIQCNhNZnG_eP5qbhTaVecP7xwT6E2fpapTgTt1lHBNHm9vUc_RCM/s1600-h/dssqchinary.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkEgwST3lh2N8s7PN1SsSqF9xbRBvfxQpRmL6eA7cb1Kkv2c1VI0CnAIHozMZzic-ZD8q2kufYznsUa4rseGHs4fIQCNhNZnG_eP5qbhTaVecP7xwT6E2fpapTgTt1lHBNHm9vUc_RCM/s200/dssqchinary.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123099306251837330" /></a>The work being premiered, entitled “Spiral X: In Memorium,” was written for Del Sol by Cambodian-American composer Chinary Ung under a commission from the Koussevitsky Foundation. The piece, which includes vocalization by the musicians, has eight parts. Yes, eight ; one for each instrument and one for each musician’s voice. For this performance we will play on rare, 17-18th century, Italian stringed instruments from the Library’s collection. If you can’t make it to DC for this historic event, you can hear the next live performance at our Spring Home Season concert in May 2008.<br />For more info go to <a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html</a>.<br /><br />Later this fall we’ll be recording this piece and works by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Hyo-Shin Na, Kui Dong, and Jack Body. This CD will be released in 2008. Donors who contribute over $1,000 to our nonprofit Del Sol Performing Arts Organization before February will be listed as sponsors of this Pacific Rim recording in the CD liner notes.<br /><br />2. Free Noontime Concert, Thursday, 10/11/07, 12:00 PM<br />Del Sol will perform as part of the UCSF Chancellor’s Concert Series at Cole Hall, UCSF Medical School, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco.<br />For more info go to <a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html</a>. <br /><br />3. On TV Again!<br />The SPARK episode featuring Del Sol, first broadcast in April, will be shown again on Wed., Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m., and will repeat on Sun., Oct. 21, at 6:30 a.m. on KQED-TV Channel 9. The rerun also can be seen in the South Bay on KTEH-TV 54 and KCAH-TV 25 check <a href="http://www.kteh.org" target="_blank">www.kteh.org</a> for details. <br /><br />4. Fall QuartetFest<br />Once again, we’re holding our QuartetFest, a unique weekend (Nov. 3 & 4) for young string players. Four student string quartets receive coaching and perform both masterworks from the quartet literature and accessible modern works. <br /><br />5. More Good News About Grants<br />The Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation has awarded our nonprofit Del Sol Performing Arts Organization (DSPAO) a first-time grant of $15,000 for our Pacific Rim project (the CD recording this fall and the concert in May 2008). This institutional backing goes far but doesn’t meet all of our expenses. We’re still looking for more individual donors to support this important recording project. Other good grant news came from the Amphion Foundation, which has awarded the DSPAO $4000, an increase of 50% over their grant to us last year. <br /><br />6. Future Bookings<br />We’re pleased to announce that we’ve engaged Serious Music Media to help us with bookings and publicity. They have been making headway with prestigious presenters as far out as 2010, with suggestions for exciting programs, some involving collaborations with other artists and art forms.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-49152766136061416592007-09-03T17:34:00.000-07:002007-10-05T14:35:38.621-07:00August/September NewsNewsletter Contents:<br />1. The Past (Ghost Opera)<br />2. Upcoming (Library of Congress, Pac-Rim Recording, UCSF Noontime)<br />3. Other News<br />4. The Means (Grants, Fundraising)<br />5. New Address<br /><br />1. The Past (“Ghost Opera” 7/17/07 in Santa Fe)<br /><br />In July we spent a week of intensive rehearsal in Santa Fe preparing for our July 17th performance of Tan Dun's “Ghost Opera” with pipa player, Wu Man. Upon arrival we quickly had to learn to play all sorts of unusual percussion instruments, including water bowls, and to move all around the theater-- climbing stairs, singing, etc. -- while playing our own instruments. “Ghost Opera” is a magical and very visual piece. In addition to Tan Dun's written choreography and lighting effects, the piece was further enhanced by projected video images. Acushla Bastible directed the whole project, and she did an incredible job of pulling all the elements together, coaching us on our choreography, vocals, and staging. The result was a wonderfully alive and exciting performance that thrilled the packed house at Santa Fe's Lensic Theater. <br /><br />2. Upcoming Activities (Library of Congress, Pacific Rim Recording, UCSF Concert)<br /><br />Kicking off our 2007-2008 season is our October 19 public concert at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. There we’ll perform the world premiere of a work by Cambodian-American composer, Chinary Ung, commissioned for us by the Koussevitsky Foundation. We’ll be playing on rare 17th-18th century Italian stringed instruments provided from the Library’s collection.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.loc.gov/rr/perform/concert/" target="_blank">More info</a><br /><br />Later this fall we’ll be recording this piece and works by other contemporary Pacific Rim composers such as Hyo-Shin Na, Kui Dong, and Jack Body. This CD will be released in 2008. Donors of over $1,000 will be listed as sponsors of this Pacific Rim recording in the CD liner notes.<br /><br />On Thursday, October 11, we’ll give a free noontime concert as part of UC San Francisco’s Chancellor’s Concert Series. <br /><br /><a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">More info</a><br /><br /><br />3. Other News (Ron Smith)<br /><br />This month the Barlow Endowment awarded Canadian composer, Ron Smith, a commission to write a new string quartet for us.<br /><br />4. The Means (Grants, Fundraising)<br /><br />Performing, recording, traveling … it all takes money.<br /><br />This month we learned that we’ll receive $13,000 from the San Francisco Grants for the Arts (Hotel Tax Fund), up from the $10K we received last year. As we noted in last September’s news, future GFTA grants are based on our budget size, which many of you have helped us grow. We’re happy to report that those who gave during our spring<br />fundraising appeal collectively exceeded the $5K challenge match. Thank you to all who gave and especially to our generous donor who issued the challenge!<br /><br />5. New office address and phone<br /><br />We’ve moved. Our new office address is:<br /><br />754 46th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94121<br /><br />Our new phone number is: (415) 374-0074.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-3764113894395109202007-07-07T10:44:00.000-07:002007-07-09T10:48:03.861-07:00Summer News from Del SolNewsletter Contents:<br />1. Del Sol performs Ghost Opera in Santa Fe!<br />2. A look back at our successful spring home concert series<br />3. Del Sol connects with kids in the schools<br /><br />1. The Santa Fe Opera presents Ghost Opera, featuring Del Sol and Pipa!<br /><br />Del Sol travels to Santa Fe in July for a unique performance of Tan Dun’s Ghost Opera for string quartet with pipa, water, stones, paper, and metal. Pipa player Wu Man and director Acushla Bastible join Del Sol for this five-movement work of mourning and hope. Dun (b. 1957, China) calls his work “a dialogue between past and future, spirit and nature,” based on the shamanistic customs of Chinese peasant culture. In addition to playing on their usual instruments everything from Chinese folk music to fragments of Bach’s “Well-Tempered Clavier” to rowdy hoedowns, the musicians will also be required to artfully splash water, skillfully smack stones together, utter chants and exultations, and play as ghostly shadows from behind a white sash. A reflection on human spirituality, Dun’s work is a cross-temporal, cross-cultural and cross-media dialogue which touches on the past, present, future and the eternal, employing elements from Chinese, Tibetan, English and American cultures.<br /><br />Ghost Opera<br />Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 7:00pm<br />The Lensic, Santa Fe’s Performing Arts Center<br />211 West San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, NM<br />Tickets: $10-$30<br /><a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html">http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html</a> <br /><br /><br />2. Del Sol’s Home Concert Series completes a great 2006-2007 season!<br /><br />Our spring concert series, “Umbilical Chords - Women Composers and the Creative Process,” marked the end of a very busy and successful season for Del Sol. In four energetic performances, three of which were recorded, Del Sol explored the influence of motherhood and its effect on the careers and compositions of women composers, featuring works by Kui Dong, Linda Catlin Smith, Teresa Carreno, Sally Beamish, Ruth Crawford Seeger, and Mark Fish. The following comments are from audience members about their recent positive Del Sol concert experience at these performances:<br /><br />***”The choice of music was wonderful! I was transported. THANK YOU!”<br /><br />***”Terrific repertoire expertly played. Accessible with commentary, intimate setting. I always enjoy seeing a quartet stand!”<br /><br />***”As always: energy, invention, technical precision, imaginative and<br />coherent programming.”<br /><br />Thanks to all who attended - we’re looking forward to seeing you again in the fall!<br /><br /><br />3. Del Sol teaches conflict resolution to elementary students<br /><br />Elementary students in the Burlingame and Millbrae school districts enjoyed a taste of string quartet music as well as a lesson about peacefully resolving conflict this April as Del Sol performed their way through many schools. These assemblies were part of the Music at Kohl Mansion program, which offers shows annually to schools in Millbrae and Burlingame. The quartet taught conflict resolution and peace through music, demonstrating how to listen effectively and new ways of compromising with peers. The students were also offered several examples of composers who successfully blend the music of different cultures. One teacher from Spring Valley Elementary School commented, “Please come back! You are truly our premier assembly each year and the children love you!” Not to worry - Del Sol loves their involvement in the schools as much as the kids do, and they look forward to many more educational activities in the future!Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-62596943421503089122007-05-20T10:13:00.001-07:002007-06-06T10:27:20.315-07:00A Few RemindersNewsletter Contents:<br />1. Catch an informal Del Sol performance this Sunday night!<br />2. Del Sol Home Season Concerts are just around the corner!<br />3. Register now for Adult QuartetFest while spots are still available!<br /><br /><br />1. DSSQ at Papa Toby’s Revolution Cafe and Art Bar!<br /><br />Del Sol will be playing selections from their home season concert series this Sunday night at Revolution Cafe’s weekly Sunday night classical jam. The program will include works by Sally Beamish, Mark Fish, and Teresa Carreno. It is a fun, informal setting where you can sip on your favorite drink and enjoy the music. We’d love to see you there!<br /><br />Sunday, May 20, 2007 10pm<br />Papa Toby’s Revolution Cafe and Art Bar<br />3248 22nd Street (at Bartlett)<br />San Francisco, CA 94110<br /><br /><br />2. DSSQ Home Season Concert Series: “Umbilical Chords - Women Composers and the Creative Process”<br /><br />Mark your date books and palm pilots now - you don’t want to miss this stirring Del Sol concert in which the quartet explores the influence of motherhood and its effect on the careers and compositions of women composers. Our upcoming concert series features works from the past 111 years by Kui Dong, Linda Catlin Smith, Teresa Carreno, Sally Beamish, and Ruth Crawford Seeger. Inspired by the life and work of Ruth Crawford Seeger, local composer Mark Fish composed “Whatever Happened to the Fireside Fancies?” (2007), which will have its world premiere. Additionally, folk songs gathered by Ruth Crawford Seeger and arranged by Mark Fish will be sprinkled throughout the program. Mr. Fish will be present to discuss his new quartet and the arrangements at each concert.<br /><br />Program:<br />Linda Catlin Smith (b. 1957, USA): As you pass a reflective surface (1991);<br />Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953, USA): String Quartet (1931);<br />Mark Fish (b. 1969, USA): Whatever Happened to the Fireside Fancies? (2007);<br />Teresa Carreno (1853-1917, Venezuela): Selection from String Quartet in B Minor (1895);<br />Sally Beamish (b. 1956, Great Britain): String Quartet No. 2 “Opus California” (1999);<br />Kui Dong (b. 1966, China): Spring (2006) <br /><br />Tickets are available at the door: $20 adults, $15 seniors, $7 students/kids<br /><br />The series will take place on 5/27 (4pm, Pt. Reyes Station), 5/30 (8pm, Berkeley), 5/31 (7pm, San Jose), and 6/3 (2:30pm, San Francisco). <br />For more information, please visit our <a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html">website</a>.<br /><br /><br />3. DSSQ’s Adult QuartetFest still has openings for participants!<br /><br />Del Sol invites preformed adult amateur quartets to participate in a fun and intensive weekend of chamber music (Saturday, June 23-Sunday, June 24, 2007). Enjoy over 9 hours of coaching by Del Sol musicians in the intimate setting of an old Victorian home in San Francisco, indulge in tasty catered meals, and have the chance to perform for friends and family in an informal concert on Sunday evening. There is space for four groups only, so make your reservations soon!<br /><br /><a href="http://delsolquartet.com/adultquartetfest.html" target="_blank">More info</a><br /><br />Contact:<br />Kate Curran<br />415-374-0074<br />kcurran@delsolquartet.com<br />Fee: $250/person (includes lunches and dinner)<br />Schedule: Saturday (10am-8pm) and Sunday (10am-6pm)Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-52793192365980899342007-04-21T08:38:00.000-07:002007-04-23T08:50:13.442-07:00Recent Success and Upcoming EventsAfter a successful tour and television appearance, Del Sol continues to capture more attention and recognition as we head into our spring concert series.<br /><br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Newsletter Contents:<br /><br />1. Del Sol returns from a successful tour to Boston and Albuquerque<br />2. KQED TV's Spark program beautifully captures the heart of Del Sol<br />3. DSSQ performs three world premieres at UC Berkeley<br />4. Introducing our spring concert series: "Umbilical Chords - Women Composers and the Creative Process"<br />5. Del Sol teaches peace through music to elementary school students<br />6. Composer Eric Lindsay wins prestigious award from ASCAP<br />7. Looking for adult amateur string players to participate in QuartetFest!<br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><br />1. Del Sol in Massachusetts and New Mexico<br /><br />In late March, Del Sol traveled to residencies at Northeastern University in Boston and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. The quartet performed for packed houses at both universities and also at the Simms Center for the Performing Arts in Chamber Music Albuquerque's "Chamber Music X" Concert Series. While in Boston Del Sol had a productive day of recording String Quartet No. 2 "Nostalgia" by Ronald Bruce Smith (b. 1961, Canada). The quartet offered workshops for composition students at both universities and also gave a masterclass at UNM, coaching a talented student quartet.<br /><br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><br />2. Del Sol Appears on TV - "KQED Spark"<br /><br />On April 11th Del Sol was featured on KQED TV's "Spark" program, which highlights Bay Area artists and arts organizations. As board chair Jane Kumin commented after the show, the "Spark" episode vividly demonstrates "how the music moves from the written parts to our ears and hearts through the collaboration of the composers and musicians. It perfectly captures the passion of the musicians, the process of communicating an artistic vision (among composers, musicians, and listeners), and Del Sol's mission to heighten the public's awareness and understanding of contemporary chamber music."<br /><br />If you missed the program, it's not too late! You can watch it now by visiting this <a href="http://www.kqed.org/arts/places/spark/profile.jsp?id=15186" target="_blank">website</a>.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />3. Del Sol Premieres Three Pieces at Noontime Concert in Berkeley<br /><br />Del Sol is excited to perform three new compositions at 12 noon, Wednesday, April 25, 2007, at Hertz Hall (University of California, Berkeley). This free concert will feature the work of Robin Estrada, Jen Wang, and Nils Bultmann. Join us for a special lunchtime treat! For more information, please call 510-642-4864.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />4. DSSQ Home Season Concert Series: "Umbilical Chords - Women Composers and the Creative Process"<br /><br />Creating music, whether composing or performing, is like giving birth - it's an incredible outpouring of hard work, love, and emotion to bring life to something special and new to the world. Our upcoming concert series features works by women composers and a premiere -- a biographical work about Ruth Crawford Seeger, by Mark Fish (USA). The women composers whose work we will present are Linda Catlin Smith (USA), Ruth Crawford Seeger (USA), Teresa Carreno (Venezuela), Sally Beamish (Great Britain), and Kui Dong (China). In another tribute to Ruth Crawford Seeger, who collected American children's folk songs, the featured works will be juxtaposed by some of these folk songs, arranged by Mark Fish. Mark Fish will be present at each of the concerts to discuss his work.<br /><br />The series will take place on 5/27 (4pm, Pt. Reyes Station), 5/30(8pm, Berkeley), 5/31 (7pm, San Jose), and 6/3 (2:30pm, San Francisco).<br /><br />For more information, please visit our <a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">website</a>.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />5. DSSQ: Music at Kohl Mansion, Music in Schools - Teaching Conflict Resolution<br /><br />Del Sol performs for elementary school students in the Burlingame and Millbrae school districts throughout the month of April. The quartet teaches conflict resolution and peace through music, demonstrating new ways of compromising with peers, listening to conflict and peace in musical examples, and sampling composers who successfully blend the music of different cultures and music composed as a means of political protest.<br /><br />For more information, please visit the <a href="http://www.musicatkohl.org/Kids/schedule07.html" target="_blank">Music at Kohl</a> website.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />6. Congratulations to Composer Eric Lindsay!<br /><br />Los Angeles composer Eric Lindsay was recently named a recipient of the 2007 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards for his quartet "Hopkin and the Wired Night" -- premiered by Del Sol last November. The Morton Gould Awards program rewards gifted young creators of concert music, and the recipients will be recognized at the 8th Annual ASCAP Concert Music Awards at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater in New York on May 24, 2007. Out of 601 submissions, only 35 recipients were chosen ranging in age from 12 to 30. Bravo, Eric!<br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />7. Del Sol Introduces QuartetFest for Adult Amateur Chamber Groups<br /><br />Del Sol invites preformed adult amateur quartets to participate in QuartetFest, a fun and intensive weekend workshop with a focus on contemporary chamber music (Sat. June 23 - Sun. June 24, 2007). Participating groups will receive over seven hours of coaching by Del Sol musicians in the intimate setting of an old Victorian home in San Francisco. Each group will perform in a final concert performance and then enjoy a delicious catered dinner at the end of the weekend. There is space for four groups only, so make your reservations soon by calling 415-374-0074, or emailing kcurran@delsolquartet.com.<br /><br />Del Sol offers a similar QuartetFest for kids on May 5th and 6th. Student quartets will have fun learning contemporary repertoire with Del Sol musicians, perform in a final concert, and enjoy a potluck dinner at the end of the weekend. All spots have been filled for this event.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-60126290449257043892007-03-14T13:40:00.000-07:002007-03-23T07:14:15.989-07:00Del Sol On Tour; Del Sol on TVDel Sol has an exciting month ahead -- touring for university residencies and concerts in Boston and Albuquerque during March. Then, in April, Del Sol appears on local TV -- "KQED Spark." Don't miss a chance to enjoy Del Sol from the comfort of your living room! <br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Newsletter Contents<br />1. Residency at Northeastern University<br />2. Residency at University of New Mexico<br />3. KQED Spark features Del Sol - April 11<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />1. Del Sol goes to Boston!<br /><br />Del Sol appears in residency at Northeastern University from March 22-23 where the quartet will coach student composers in workshops, record String Quartet No. 2 "Nostalgia" by Ronald Bruce Smith (b. 1961, Canada), and perform a free public concert featuring works by George Antheil, Marc Blitzstein, Ruth Crawford Seeger, and Ronald Bruce Smith. <br /><br />For March 22 concert details in Boston, <a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">click here.</a><br /><br /><br />2. On to Albuquerque!<br /><br />From Boston, Del Sol travels on to a residency at the University of New Mexico (March 26-28). The quartet will perform works by Hyo-Shin Na, Richard Hermann, and Curt Cacioppo at the 36th Annual John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium. Then on March 30, Chamber Music Albuquerque presents Del Sol at its "Chamber Music X" Concert Series at the Albuquerque Academy, featuring works by Jose Evangelista, Lou Harrison, George Antheil, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Paquito D'Rivera.<br /><br />For Albuquerque concert details, <a href="http://delsolquartet.com/concert.html" target="_blank">click here.</a><br /><br /><br />3. Del Sol featured on TV -- "KQED Spark" -- April 11, 7:30 p.m. and April 13, 11 p.m. (repeat)<br /><br />KQED TV's "Spark" program features Bay Area artists and arts organizations, taking audiences inside the creative process to witness the challenges, opportunities, and rewards of making art. Del Sol is thrilled to be featured, and we hope you are able to tune in!<br /><br />More info on the <a href="http://www.kqed.org/arts/spark/episode.jsp?eid=160107" target="_blank">KQED website</a>Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-77116625959921950772007-01-31T15:03:00.000-08:002007-01-31T15:48:20.532-08:00Bay Area Performances in January and February 2007Contents<br />____________________________________<br /><br />1. DSSQ at Papa Toby’s Revolution Café and Art Bar<br />2. DSSQ in Concert at the UUSM<br />3. Fremont Symphony presents “Musical Treats: String Fling with the Del Sol String Quartet”<br />____________________________________<br /><br />1. DSSQ at Papa Toby’s Revolution Café and Art Bar<br /><br />We will be playing the opening set at Revolution Café’s weekly Sundaynight Classical Jam. Program to include Ronald Bruce Smith’s String Quartet No. 2 “Nostalgia” (2002/2006) and Jose Evangelista’s Spanish Garland: 12 folk melodies from Spain (1993). It’s a fun and informal setting where you can sip something hot or cold while you enjoy the music. Free admission, and the music and merrymaking will continue<br />until midnight!<br /><br />Sunday, January 21st, 8:00 PM<br />Papa Toby’s Revolution Café and Art Bar<br />3248 22nd Street,<br />San Francisco, CA<br />____________________________________<br />2. DSSQ in Concert at the Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo<br /><br />The Universalists of San Mateo will be presenting us in an afternoon concert. Suggested donation $20, free for students.<br />Program:<br />Marc Blitzstein Quartet for Strings "The Italian" (1930)<br />Ronald Bruce Smith Quartet No. 2 "Nostalgia" (2002/2006)<br />Lou Harrison String Quartet Set (1979)<br />Jose Evangelista Spanish Garland (1993)<br /><br />Sunday, January 28th, 2007, 3:00 PM<br />Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo (UUSM)<br />400 East Santa Inez (@ North Ellsworth)<br />San Mateo, CA<br /><br />____________________________________<br />3. Fremont Symphony presents “Musical Treats: String Fling with the<br />Del Sol String Quartet”<br /><br />A Family Concert at the Fremont Symphony, we will be playing the “Del Sol Express”, a musical journey through Latin America. Fun and educational for kids of all ages. <br /><br />Sunday, February 11, 2007, 2:00 PM<br />Jackson Theater,<br />Gary Soren Smith Center for the Fine and Performing Arts<br />Ohlone College<br />43600 Mission Boulevard<br />Fremont, CADel Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228515990489421970.post-4158260462880652842006-12-07T15:50:00.000-08:002007-03-29T18:41:16.050-07:00Other Minds 12 Concert ReminderOther Minds 12-Festival of New Music, is taking place this weekend (Dec 8-10)! We are very excited to participate in this wonderful event and hope to see you at the performances.<br /><br /><br />Del Sol will be featured playing the following pieces:<br /><br />Friday, December 8, 2006, 8pm<br />Peter Sculthorpe: From Saibai (1997) <br />Kate Stenberg, violin; Eva-Maria Zimmermann, piano<br />Per Nørgård (b. 1932, Denmark): Quartet No. 10 for Strings, "Høsttidløs" (Harvest-Timeless) (2004-2005) US PREMIERE<br />Maja Ratkje (b. 1973, Norway): Gagaku Variations for Accordion and String Quartet (2001), with Frode Haltli, accordion<br /><br />Sunday, December 10, 2006, 2:00pm<br />Ronald Bruce Smith (b. 1961, Canada): String Quartet No. 2 "Nostalgia" (2002/2006)<br />Peter Sculthorpe (b. 1929, Australia): Quartet No. 16 for Strings, with didjeridu (2005), with Stephen Kent, didjeridu. WORLD PREMIERE of new version<br /><br />All Other Minds 12 performances are held at:<br /><br />Kanbar Hall, San Francisco Jewish Community Center,<br />3200 California Street, San Francisco, California<br /><br />For complete concert listings for the festival and to purchase tickets, visit the <a href="http://otherminds.org/shtml/Concerts12.shtml">Other Minds website</a>.Del Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523530662696982191noreply@blogger.com0