Del Sol Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Del Sol Quartet is a string quartet
based in San Francisco, California
. Del Sol is known for actively working with living composers from a wide range of cultural perspectives, and recording and performing exclusively 20th and 21st century music. A strong undercurrent of modernism
flows through their repertoire.
Del Sol rose to international attention with the release of its 2002 CD, Tear, featuring a noteworthy rendition of Ástor Piazzolla
's Libertango. Other composers in that collection include Lou Harrison
, Earle Brown
, Silvestre Revueltas
, Ruth Crawford Seeger
, Alberto Ginastera
, and John Harbison
. (from website)
Del Sol String Quartet's most recent release, George Antheil
The Complete Works For String Quartet, is the definitive recording of the composer and has sparked a revival of interest in his chamber works (Other Minds OM 1008-2). Del Sol was named winner of the Chamber Ensemble/Mixed Repertory category for 2005-2006 by Chamber Music America and ASCAP, and also received an ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music. (from Classical Voice)
In October, 2007, Del Sol Quartet was invited to play the Library of Congress
' collection of Stradivarius
instruments and debut the world premiere of Chinary Ung
's Spiral X.
Del Sol has premiered new compositions from Daniel Bernard Roumain
, Chinary Ung
, Peter Sculthorpe
and various emerging composers from Argentina, Mexico, Korea, China, Canada and the United States.
for the Arts, followed by residency at San Francisco State University in association with the Alexander String Quartet. Other appointments have included the 2003 "Emerging Quartets and Composers Residency" with the Muir String Quartet and Joan Tower
in Park City, Utah; Quartet-in-Residence at University of New Mexico; residencies at The Walden School
and Tahoe Music Festival; and Northeastern University in 2007. Del Sol appears on programs presented by Other Minds
, San Francisco Performances, Montalvo Arts Center and Santa Fe New Music/Santa Fe Opera
. (from website)
Adventures in Music series, San Francisco Libraries, Music at Kohl Mansion, Young Audiences of the Bay Area, American Composers Forum and San Francisco Performances, the City’s largest independent concert presenter. To date, Del Sol has performed over 300 concerts for more than 30,000 young people.
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
based in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Del Sol is known for actively working with living composers from a wide range of cultural perspectives, and recording and performing exclusively 20th and 21st century music. A strong undercurrent of modernism
Modernism (music)
Modernism in music is characterized by a desire for or belief in progress and science, surrealism, anti-romanticism, political advocacy, general intellectualism, and/or a breaking with the past or common practice.- Defining musical modernism :...
flows through their repertoire.
Del Sol rose to international attention with the release of its 2002 CD, Tear, featuring a noteworthy rendition of Ástor Piazzolla
Ástor Piazzolla
Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player. His oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music...
's Libertango. Other composers in that collection include Lou Harrison
Lou Harrison
Lou Silver Harrison was an American composer. He was a student of Henry Cowell, Arnold Schoenberg, and K. P. H. Notoprojo Lou Silver Harrison (May 14, 1917 – February 2, 2003) was an American composer. He was a student of Henry Cowell, Arnold Schoenberg, and K. P. H. Notoprojo Lou Silver Harrison...
, Earle Brown
Earle Brown
Earle Brown was an American composer who established his own formal and notational systems...
, Silvestre Revueltas
Silvestre Revueltas
Silvestre Revueltas Sánchez was a Mexican composer of classical music, a violinist and a conductor.-Life:...
, Ruth Crawford Seeger
Ruth Crawford Seeger
Ruth Crawford Seeger , born Ruth Porter Crawford, was a modernist composer and an American folk music specialist.-Life:...
, Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Evaristo Ginastera was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered one of the most important Latin American classical composers.- Biography :...
, and John Harbison
John Harbison
John Harris Harbison is an American composer, best known for his operas and large choral works.-Life:...
. (from website)
Del Sol String Quartet's most recent release, George Antheil
George Antheil
George Antheil was an American avant-garde composer, pianist, author and inventor. A self-described "Bad Boy of Music", his modernist compositions amazed and appalled listeners in Europe and the US during the 1920s with their cacophonous celebration of mechanical devices.Returning permanently to...
The Complete Works For String Quartet, is the definitive recording of the composer and has sparked a revival of interest in his chamber works (Other Minds OM 1008-2). Del Sol was named winner of the Chamber Ensemble/Mixed Repertory category for 2005-2006 by Chamber Music America and ASCAP, and also received an ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music. (from Classical Voice)
In October, 2007, Del Sol Quartet was invited to play the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
' collection of Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
instruments and debut the world premiere of Chinary Ung
Chinary Ung
Chinary Ung is a composer now living in the United States. After arriving in the United States in 1964 to study the clarinet, Ung studied composition with Chou Wen-chung and Mario Davidovsky. Ung is noted for combining traditional Cambodian musical elements with western instrumentation...
's Spiral X.
Del Sol has premiered new compositions from Daniel Bernard Roumain
Daniel Bernard Roumain
Daniel Bernard Roumain is a classically trained composer, performer, violinist, and band-leader noted for blending funk, rock, hip-hop and classical music into an energetic and experiential sonic form. DBR is of Haitian-American heritage and he attended Dillard Center for the Arts in Fort...
, Chinary Ung
Chinary Ung
Chinary Ung is a composer now living in the United States. After arriving in the United States in 1964 to study the clarinet, Ung studied composition with Chou Wen-chung and Mario Davidovsky. Ung is noted for combining traditional Cambodian musical elements with western instrumentation...
, Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Joshua Sculthorpe AO OBE is an Australian composer. Much of his music has resulted from an interest in the music of Australia's neighbours as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of native Australian music with that of the heritage of the West...
and various emerging composers from Argentina, Mexico, Korea, China, Canada and the United States.
Founding
Founded in 1992, the Del Sol String Quartet began its life in residence at the Banff CentreBanff Centre
The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
for the Arts, followed by residency at San Francisco State University in association with the Alexander String Quartet. Other appointments have included the 2003 "Emerging Quartets and Composers Residency" with the Muir String Quartet and Joan Tower
Joan Tower
Joan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
in Park City, Utah; Quartet-in-Residence at University of New Mexico; residencies at The Walden School
The Walden School
The Walden School is a private summer music camp situated on the campus of the Dublin School, in Dublin, New Hampshire, USA. It is a five-week residential program which hosts approximately 45 students aged 10-18 and focuses on developing musicianship through composition, improvisation and choral...
and Tahoe Music Festival; and Northeastern University in 2007. Del Sol appears on programs presented by Other Minds
Other Minds
Other Minds is a San Francisco based private 501 not-for-profit organization, founded in 1992 by Charles Amirkhanian and Jim Newman...
, San Francisco Performances, Montalvo Arts Center and Santa Fe New Music/Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
. (from website)
Outreach
For more than a decade, the quartet has given lectures/performances by invitation from presenters including the San Francisco SymphonySan Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
Adventures in Music series, San Francisco Libraries, Music at Kohl Mansion, Young Audiences of the Bay Area, American Composers Forum and San Francisco Performances, the City’s largest independent concert presenter. To date, Del Sol has performed over 300 concerts for more than 30,000 young people.