Press Release: "Del Seoul"

For Immediate Release: Del Sol contact: Dominique Pelletey
November 1st, 2005 (510) 595-8448
dominique@delsolquartet.com

The Del Sol String Quartet proudly presents the works of six Korean women in a concert featuring chamber music for string quartet and piano. Joined by Swiss pianist, Eva-Maria Zimmerman, Del Sol String Quartet recently traveled to Seoul, Korea, for an intensive meeting with all six composers, working towards an intimate understanding of the musical language and unique melding of the traditions of Eastern and Western music.

Alive with the captivating rhythms of traditional Korean folk music, and a subtle use of typical scale patterns, the six works as a whole present a varied and encompassing view of modern Korean artistry.

The program progresses from the eloquently romantic works of Kyung-Won Lee and Sa-Eun Hong for piano trio and viola/piano duo respectively, to the evocative, almost mystical sounds of San Francisco-based Hyo-Shin Na’s string quartet. Ok-shik Shim, also currently residing in the United States, provides a delightful, up-beat, jazzy side to the program in her piano quintet (based entirely on an ancient, traditional melody), while the two other string quartets span the area between contemplative beauty (Hye-Rie Han) and shimmering complexity (Hae-Sung Lee). The Del Sol offers a rich and diverse sound palette, hailed by Korean audiences as “ideally suited and authentic.”

Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - 12noon
Program: Hyo-shin Na
Koret Auditorium at San Francisco Main Public Library.
100 Larkin Street (@Grove), Civic Center, San Francisco

Friday, December 9, 2005 - 8pm
Program: Han Hye Rie, Lee Kyungwon, Lee Hae-Sung, Na Hyo-shin, Hong Sa-eun, Shim Okshik
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts - Forum
701 Mission Street (@ 3rd), San Francisco
Tickets: $20 general l $15 seniors l $7 students, kids

Sunday, December 11, 2005 - 4pm
Program: Han Hye Rie, Lee Kyungwon, Lee Hae-Sung, Na Hyo-shin, Hong Sa-eun, Shim Okshik
DANCE PALACE, 503 B Street, Point Reyes Station
Tickets: $20 general l $15 seniors l $7 students, kids
(Dance Palace members: $15/$13 seniors /$7 kids)
PROGRAM
1. Han Hye Rie: Towards you for string quartet
2. Lee Kyungwon: The Recollections for for Violin, Cello and Piano
3. Lee Hae-Sung: Bium II (Emptiness II) for string quartet

Intermission

4. Na Hyo-shin: Fixed Stars for string quartet
5. Hong Sa-eun: Ballade for viola and piano
6. Shim Okshik: Song of Mongkeumpo for piano quintet

world premiere
All the works were composed in 2005 for the Del Sol String Quartet.
Fixed Stars was written with support from the Zellerbach Family Fund and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Del Sol String Quartet

Rick Shinozaki, and Kate Stenberg violinists
Charlton Lee, violist
Monica Scott, cellist


The dynamic Del Sol String Quartet rose to international attention with the release of its 2002 CD, Tear, which earned the vibrant ensemble accolades including "emotionally riveting", "immediately engrossing and consuming", "passionate virtuosity" and "first rate". Tear features works by living and recent composers, and its contents exemplify the Quartet's artistic profile: to present new music for new audiences. Whether playing music "hot off the press" or delving into neglected gems of the past century, Del Sol has never sounded better, its bright mission vibrantly continuing to light the way for the future of today's classical music.

The Del Sol's Grammy-nominated 2005 CD of the complete string quartet repertory of George Antheil on the Other Minds label is the definitive recording of the composer who was among the most popular writers of the 20th century, and it has sparked a revival of interest in his chamber works. Current projects include a partnership with Melody of China, the Bay Area's internationally acclaimed traditional Chinese music ensemble, and a collaboration with ground-breaking, hip-hop inspired American composer Daniel Bernard Roumain. Presented by Other Minds, San Francisco Performances, Santa Fe New Music and Santa Fe Opera, the Del Sol String Quartet are actively performing both nationally and internationally. Their achievements were recognized by a 2004-2005 Award for Adventurous Programming, given by ASCAP and Chamber Music America.

Founded in 1992, the Del Sol String Quartet began its life in residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts, followed by a residency at San Francisco State University in association with the Alexander String Quartet. Recent 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 the Hot Springs Music Festival, Arkansas (2004 and 2005), Quartet-in-Residence at the Composer's Symposium, University of New Mexico, and an upcoming residency at the Walden School, New Hampshire in 2006.

Some Quotes:

"The Del Sol String Quartet gives the kind of performance a composer loves to hear!" -- Joan Tower, composer

"Seizing the senses form the first downbeat, immediately engrossing and consuming." -- Tamara Turner, CD Baby editor

"The Del Sol plays like gangbusters throughout." -- Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle

“Clearly making a name for themselves as a fresh and vibrant voice for new music in the Bay Area, the ensemble is also rising into position as a premier string quartet. Young and energetic, adventurous and all the while convincing, the quartet, comprising Rick Shinozaki and Kate Stenberg on violins, Charlton Lee, viola, and Monica Scott, cello, has done much to support young composers and to expose little-performed contemporary music.” -- David Bithell, San Francisco Classical Voice



Eva-Maria Zimmermann
Swiss Pianist Eva-Maria Zimmermann maintains a career on two continents through performances that are “breathtakingly intense” (Der Bund, Switzerland) and “brilliant and sensitive” (Berner Oberländer). Her solo appearances include recitals as well as concerto performances with major symphony orchestras such as in Swisszerland the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Her musical studies led her to such distinguished musicians as Leon Fleisher, György Sebök, Leonard Hokanson and Dominique Merlet. She graduated with highest honors from the Conservatory of Geneva, and has appeared at international festivals in Israel, the US and Europe. Ms. Zimmermann currently lives in San Francisco where she performs with the Stone-Zimmermann violin-piano duo, teaches at the Nueva School (founded by Sir Yehudi Menuhin) and is raising a family.

Delos
Delos, an association of composers based in Seoul, Korea, was founded in 1992 by Young-ja Lee and a core group of nine composers, all of whom were alumni of Ewha Women's University. Membership has since grown to 14 and includes composers writing in a wide variety of styles. Delos has presented more than 20 concerts of members' music in Korea alone, often featuring special performances of music by guest composers. Their workshops with performers are unique in that they combine both traditional Korean and western instruments, developing a distinct new direction for East-West interaction. Delos is actively involved with Korean new music groups and, since 2004, has widened its scope of activity to include concerts with the Continuum Consort of Canada and the San Francisco-based Del Sol String Quartet.


This performance is funded, in part by Ewha Womans University Alumnae Association of Northern California, the Linneaus Thomson Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Office of the Korean Consulate in San Francisco, the San Francisco Arts Commission, Zellerbach Family Foundation and the Del Sol Performing Arts Organization donors.