Since their New York debut in 2004, Serafin String Quartet has consistently received superlatives in the press and ovations in the concert hall. After their 2006 performance at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, they were lauded in the New York Concert Review for their "excellent music making... uncommonly fine interpretation..." and "ensemble and intonation ... above reproach."

   The scope of the Serafin’s performance activity continues to broaden, and their recent engagements include a return to New York’s Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall (September 2007), and appearances on Philadelphia’s Chamber Music Now series, at the Highlands Festival in North Carolina, Schwarz Center for the Performing Arts, University of Delaware, Rutgers University, and at Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. Serafin Quartet has performed recently in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Vermont, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Michigan, New Jersey, and Delaware. They have been guests at Classicopia (VT) and Fanfare festivals (LA), Dartmouth College, and Emory University and the Quartet has agreed to a recording project of selected works by award-winning composer, David Laganella.

   The Serafins interpret and perform the traditional quartet masterworks and less familiar works from the 18th century to the present. Reflecting their egalitarian viewpoint, and following the model of the revered Emerson String Quartet, the violinists of Serafin Quartet share equally the responsibility for playing the first and second violin parts. Devoted to furthering new works for quartet, they have presented the world premiers of Green is the Night by Mark Hagerty (2007), “a fly is in…” by Richard Belcastro (2006), Four Movements for String Quartet by Drew Hemenger (2005), String Quartet by David Laganella (2004). In 2008 they will share in premiering a new work by Richard Prior (along with the Vega String Quartet). Their repertoire includes recent works by Robert Maggio, Maurice Wright, and Peter Flint, and a special program of all American works.

   In 2007, Serafin String Quartet was named Ensemble In Residence for Lehigh University, where they present a variety of performances and lectures. They appear annually on the concert series at First and Central Church in Wilmington (DE) where they were Ensemble In Residence for five years. The Serafins frequently present master classes and lecture recitals, including those on Beethoven, Mozart, Interpreting New Music, Chamber Music, The Voice of the American String Quartet, and The Development of the String Quartet.

   Collaboration with other artists is a frequent part of the Quartet’s activities, including an upcoming project with the Vega String Quartet, and performances with internationally recognized cellist Jeffrey Solow, and with the brilliant clarinetists Igor Begelman and Marianne Gythfeldt. The artists of the quartet have, themselves, been heralded around the globe for concerts and recordings, receiving critical acclaim in the press. Based in Delaware, the members of the ensemble now reside in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

   Serafin String Quartet takes its name from the great Venetian master violin maker, Sanctus Serafin, who in 1728 crafted the violin currently played by Kate Ransom. Timothy Schwarz plays a violin by Carlo Antonio Testore (1741), generously on loan from Dr. William Stegeman. Ana Tsinadze’s viola is of unknown origin, probably Russian-made in the late 19th Century. Lawrence Stomberg plays a School of Testore cello (circa 1727) obtained with generous assistance of Dr. William Stegeman.

 
For more information about Serafin String Quartet visit http://www.serafinquartet.org.