University of Delaware Appoints Serafin String Quartet as Quartet in Residence
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(WILMINGTON, DEL.) June 30, 2010 – The Delaware-based Serafin String Quartet has been appointed Quartet in Residence at the University of Delaware beginning in fall 2010. In addition to formal and informal performances, the Quartet will serve in a variety of roles both on and off campus and will work with music department students in a number of capacities including coaching student chamber music ensembles. The Quartet also hopes to develop an interdisciplinary component, in collaboration with other departments.
“This is a very exciting venture for us,” comments Lawrence Stomberg, cellist of the Quartet, as well as the Associate Professor of Cello at the University of Delaware. “I am thrilled about the possibilities for collaboration, both with my fellow colleagues and especially with the students. We have an active and growing chamber music program at the University, and the addition of the Serafins to the mix will undoubtedly be a big boost.”
Serafin String Quartet Announces CD Release and Overseas Debut Concert
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(WILMINGTON, DEL.) June 9, 2010 – The first commercial recording of the Delaware-based Serafin String Quartet has been released on the Centaur Records label. The disc, considered an “American Tapestry,” features works by American composers, and composers influenced by American sounds, including Barber, Dvořák, Gershwin and Still. The disc is now available for purchase on the Centaur Records website www.centaurrecords.com and will be internationally released in September 2010.
The CD is the Quartet’s first major recording project, and was recorded in Gore Recital Hall on the University of Delaware campus in September 2009. The Quartet decided together upon the repertoire for the disc, intending their first release to present their interpretations of standard and lesser-known literature, and reflecting the theme of American influence and diversity.
Serafin String Quartet will present its overseas debut concert at St. John’s, Smith Square in London, England on September 25, 2010. The concert will feature selections from their recent Centaur release and “Amazing Grace” by Jennifer Higdon, the Philadelphia-based Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award – winning composer. For tickets to the London debut concert, please visit www.sjss.org.uk.
“This is an exciting year for the Quartet with our overseas debut, another recording project in preparation and concerts in the southeast and at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia,” comments Serafin violinist, Kate Ransom. “We’ve made significant progress in our development as a quartet and are reaching the next level in our performing. We look forward to broadening our horizons on the international level to start the new season.”
This summer the Quartet is preparing and starting to perform selections by Jennifer Higdon in advance of a planned recording of her un-recorded chamber works for strings. This project will feature Higdon’s “Sky Quartet,” “Amazing Grace” for string quartet, “String Trio,” “Sonata for Viola and Piano,” and a work for strings, piano and bassoon. They expect the project to take at least a year to complete.
SSQ featured on Master Players series - Fall 2009 - at University of Delaware!
Serafin String Quartet will perform in November 2009 on the University of Delaware’s
Master Players series in Gore Hall on the UD
campus. By special invitation and request of Professor Xiang Gao, the quartet will present works by
Barber and Mendelssohn, along with works by Turina and William Grant Still.
Collaborations include a Poet and a Composer and feature Mozart, Einstein and Webster the Spider!!
SSQ collaborates this season composer/harpist Valerie Von Pechy Whitcup in presentations of
her work, Webster the Musical Spider (November 2009). In January 2010, poet Kate
Light and SSQ present her creation, Einstein’s Mozart: Two Genuises!
Performances will all take place at The
Music School of Delaware’s Wilmington and Milford branches.
Barber Centennial and Mendelssohn Bicentennial– SSQ Celebrates A Year of Birthdays!
Serafin String Quartet will perform Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D Major, Op.44 #1,
in celebration of 200 years since the composer’s birth in 1809. Fall 2009 concerts will include this
high energy work - full of the youthful energy, delicate sweetness and the panache for which Mendelssohn
is particularly known. Also, SSQ will present the Barber String Quartet, the centerpiece of which is his
famous Adagio. 2010 is the centenary of the composer’s birth year, 1910.
Sound Samples For Your Listening Pleasure!
Sound samples are available for your listening pleasure! Please visit the
Listen page of the website to hear selections played by the
Serafins, recorded live in spring 2008.
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