Verona Quartet October Concerts at Krannert Center, Mobile Chamber Music


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The Verona Quartet will appear in concert at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois on October 14. The program’s title, “What is Left for Us to Write,” takes inspiration from a remark by Schubert upon hearing Beethoven’s Quartet No. 14, Op. 131. Alongside this late Beethoven quartet, the Verona will perform Schubert’s Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703 and Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout by Gabriela Lena Frank.

Just three days later, the Quartet will bring the same program to Mobile, Alabama for a performance with Mobile Chamber Music on October 17. Details for the Illinois concert can be found here. Details for the Mobile concert can be found here.

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Sarah Dinin
Arnaud Sussmann at Friends of Chamber Music Denver October 6

Originally scheduled for 2020, Friends of Chamber Music Denver welcomes violinist Arnaud Sussman and pianist Anna Polonsky for a long-awaited appearance on their Chamber Series. The evening recital on October 6 at Gates Hall, Newman Center includes violin sonatas by Janáček, Dvořák, and Brahms, concluding with the Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes by Mieczyslaw Weinberg. More info here.

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Sarah Dinin
Lysander Trio Praised for September Raleigh and Charlotte Performances

Chamber Music Raleigh presented the Lysander Piano Trio as part of their Sights and Sounds Concert Series on September 18 and 19, comprising two different programs, two cities, and a total of four concerts. The first two concerts in Charlotte offered Trio selections by Boulanger, Turina, and Schubert; Sunday’s performances at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh exchanged the Turina for a Piano Trio by young American composer Brian Raphael Nabors.

Geoffrey Simon of the Classical Voice of North Carolina commends the ensemble for "the Trio's ability to immerse themselves into stylistically-disparate musical works and become extensions of the composers' creative minds...the Lysander are totally 'in sync' with each other and with the music."

Read the full review here: https://cvnc.org/articleprint.cfm?articleid=10062#current_protocol#://cvnc.org

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Sarah Dinin
Verona Quartet Commences 2nd Year of Residency with Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle

The Verona Quartet returns to Durham to open the second season of their residency with Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle on September 22. Visiting several times per season, the Quartet curates the UpClose Chamber Music Series, which brings chamber music to venues throughout the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. The first concert of the season on September 24 will include works by Beethoven, Schubert and Lena Frank in a new collaboration with Om Grown Dancers, a Durham-based contemporary dance troupe.

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Sarah Dinin
Texas Classical Review Commends Danbi Um

Following her appearance with Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth on September 11, Danbi Um has received positive recognition from the Texas Classical Review. Critic Richard Sylvester Oliver writes of her playing:

"Korngold distilled a delightful range of moods—from excitement to intimacy—in his Suite from the Incidental Music to Much Ado About Nothing, arranged for violin and piano. Young violinist Danbi Um made an exemplary Fort Worth debut in this alluring opener, accompanied by pianist Baya Kakouberi."

A link to the full review can be found here.

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Sarah Dinin
David Fung Performs Works of Homage & Devotion in Stamford September 19

David Fung will perform with Friends of Music in Stamford, NY on Sunday, September 19th for a solo recital at the Stamford United Methodist Church. The program, spanning almost 300 years of music, was specially dedicated to those unseen and unheard, and all affected by the pandemic. Fung performed piano works by J.S Bach, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Florence Price, Reena Esmail, and Frederic Chopin.

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Sarah Dinin
Verona Quartet’s Album ‘Diffusion’ Receives Widespread Acclaim

Just months after release, the Verona Quartet has received sweeping recognition for their debut album ‘Diffusion’, comprising three quartets by Janáček, Szymanowski, and Ravel. Textura commends the ensemble as “executing the pieces with consummate poise and technical precision...the four generate a collective luscious sound that makes the group an ideal match for material of the kind featured on the album.” Grego Applegate Edwards of the Classical-Modern Music Review writes that the Verona’s performances reveal “detailed finessing of all the motifs and their seamless juxtaposition of all perhaps like never quite heard in this way.” The album has further been recognized internationally by Lark Reviews of the United Kingdom, citing “fine performances from this well-travelled and experienced Quartet who champion this repertoire.”

Diffusion has also been broadcast widely on radio, including features on Performance Today, WFMT, Classical WETA, and WWFM The Classical Network.

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Sarah Dinin
Danbi Um Makes Debut Appearance at Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth September 11

Violinist Danbi Um will make her first appearance at the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth on September 11, performing a selection of solo and chamber works. The matinee concert, “So Much More than Tinseltown,” opens the 34th Season of the series after a year of virtual programming. The concert will include Danbi’s signature solo work, Korngold’s Much Ado About Nothing Suite, in addition to chamber music by Martin and Korngold. Learn more about the concert here.

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Sarah Dinin
Amernet String Quartet Performs at Bargemusic and Maverick Concerts August 20-22

The Amernet String Quartet returns to New York in late August, presenting programs in Brooklyn and Woodstock. On August 20 and 21, the Amernet will perform quartets by Schubert, Dvorak and Daron Hagen at Bargemusic as part of their “Eclectic Series.” The quartet will travel up to Woodstock for an afternoon performance on Sunday, August 22nd at Maverick Concert Hall, presenting the same three string quartets with the addition of Hagen’s Suite for Viola, “in dialogue” and the beloved Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major by J.S. Bach.

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Sarah Dinin
Arnaud Sussmann Featured with New Canaan Chamber Music on August 8

Violinist Arnaud Sussmann will be featured at New Canaan Chamber Music’s first in-person concert since Covid-19 took hold. Joined by NCCM’s Artistic Director, pianist Andrew Armstrong, and R.J. Kelley on French horn, the program will include Brahms’s Trio in E-flat Major for Violin, French Horn, and Piano and Janácek’s Sonata for Piano and Violin. More info here.

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Sarah Dinin
David Fung & Verona Quartet To Perform at Caramoor July 16

On July 16, the Verona Quartet returns to Caramoor and joins forces with pianist David Fung. For the quartet, this performance marks their first return to Caramoor since their Ernst Stiefel residency at Caramoor in the 2017-18 season. This is the quartet’s first time collaborating with David, who performed together with Dashon Burton at Caramoor earlier this season. This summer’s program includes Puccini’s Crisantemi, Bacewicz’s Piano Quintet No. 1, and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 14. More info here and some insight from David regarding Bacewicz’s music here.

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Sarah Dinin
Dinin Arts Roster Graces Country's Top Music Festivals

Artists on the Dinin Arts roster will grace the country’s most prestigious music festivals this summer. Here is a listing of some of our artist’s most notable appearances:

  • Violinist Arnaud Sussmann at Music@Menlo July 16-August 1, Seattle Chamber Music Festival (Online), July 17-22

  • Violinist Danbi Um at Northshore Chamber Music Festival June 11, Cooperstown Summer Chamber Music Festival September 19

  • Violist Paul Neubauer at Chamber Music Northwest July 8-11, Music@Menlo July 23-31, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival August 4-11

  • Pianist David Fung at Caramoor July 16 (with Verona Quartet), Anchorage Chamber Music Festival July 23-24, Chamberfest DBQ August 5, Grand Canyon Music Festival September 10-11

  • Amernet String Quartet at Maverick Concerts August 22

  • Verona Quartet at Caramoor July 16 (with David Fung), Music Mountain July 18, Bravo! Vail July 26-August 1, Cooperstown Summer Chamber Music Festival August 22

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Sarah Dinin
Verona Quartet Releases Debut Album, Diffusion

On June 25, the Verona Quartet releases its debut album Diffusion on Azica Records. Through the intimate voice of the string quartet, Diffusion explores a mosaic of folk cultures through the lens Janáček's String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters," Szymanowski's String Quartet No. 2 Op. 56, and Ravel's String Quartet in F Major M. 35. As an ensemble of four nations (Singapore, Canada, United States, and United Kingdom), the Verona Quartet reveals a kaleidoscopic snapshot of cultural migration at the turn of the century.

The Verona Quartet explains, "As a quartet of musicians hailing from across the world, we knew we wanted our first album to reflect the essence of the cultural migration that is such a big part of our identity. Through Diffusion, we celebrate the spirit of intercultural exploration that permeates many of the great works of the string quartet canon. This music and the weaving together of global traditions is incredibly meaningful to us and we hope that listeners will love it too."

The album can be streamed via Spotify or Amazon Music, or you can order it on iTunes (here) or Amazon (here).

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Sarah Dinin
Neubauer's & Um's "Striking" Return to the North Shore

Violinist Danbi Um and violist Paul Neubauer returned to the Chicagoland North Shore Chamber Music Festival June 11-12, winning praise for great “poise and sensitivity” from the Chicago Classical Review (here). Neubauer performed the Brahms Piano Quintet along with a winning encore of salon favorites. After appearing with the festival just two months ago (here), Um was brought back at the last-minute, flying to Chicago the day of the performance to substitute for an ill violinist who needed to cancel. As the review shows, it was a great festival return for all the artists performing.

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Sarah Dinin
Arnaud Sussmann Program Featured at Two Major Holocaust Museums

Following the successful premiere of Arnaud Sussmann’s Jewish Voices program, inspired by his grandfather’s experience in the Holocaust, the virtual recital will be shared at two major US Holocaust Museums in upcoming weeks. The program with pianist Michael Brown, including works by Erwin Schulhoff, Pavel Haas, Samuel Adler, Robert Dauber, and Mieczyslaw Weinberg, will air on June 8 with the Holocaust Memorial Center of Detroit, and then on June 24 with the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Both events will conclude with a live virtual Q&A with Arnaud.

See more here (Detroit, MI) and here (Skokie, IL)

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Sarah Dinin
Dinin Arts Signs Verona Quartet

Sarah Dinin, Founder and Director of Dinin Arts Management and Consulting, announces the signing of the Verona Quartet to its management roster. Effective immediately, the Verona Quartet—comprising violinists Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violist Abigail Rojansky, and cellist Jonathan Dormand—joins Dinin Arts for worldwide general management.

Sarah Dinin commented, “I am delighted to welcome this incredible ensemble to the Dinin Arts roster. World-class artistry and collaborative success have always been top priorities in considering Dinin Arts’ clients, and the Verona Quartet is no exception. The Veronas impressed me from the start with their deeply thoughtful approach to both traditional programs and contemporary collaborations, and I look forward to merging the fresh approach of Dinin Arts with all that they have to offer as an ensemble.”

Acclaimed for its “bold interpretive strength, robust characterization and commanding resonance” (Calgary Herald), the Verona Quartet has firmly established itself amongst the most distinguished ensembles on the chamber music scene today. The group’s singular sense of purpose most recently earned them Chamber Music America’s coveted 2020 Cleveland Quartet Award, and a reputation as an “outstanding ensemble… cohesive yet full of temperament” (The New York Times). The Quartet serves on the faculty of the Oberlin College and Conservatory as the Quartet-in-Residence, in addition to holding residences at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, Indiana University Summer String Academy and North Carolina’s Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle.

The Verona Quartet has appeared across four continents, enchanting audiences at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City), Kennedy Center, Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.), Jordan Hall (Boston), Wigmore Hall (U.K.) and Melbourne Recital Hall (Australia), and has performed at festivals including La Jolla Summerfest, Chamber Music Northwest, Caramoor, Alpenglow, and Bravo! Vail, and with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The quartet curates the UpClose Chamber Music Series under the auspices of the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, bringing the visceral energy of classical music to diverse audiences in venues ranging from concert halls to craft breweries, and unlocking the secrets of the music through the “intimate way they communicate with each other and the audience” (The Arts Fuse, Boston).

A string quartet for the 21st century, the Verona Quartet champions the rich breadth of the string quartet repertoire from the time-honored canon through contemporary classics. Notable commissions and premieres include works by composers Julia Adolphe, Sebastian Currier, Corey Dundee, Texu Kim, as well as Michael Gilbertson’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated Quartet.

In addition to advocating contemporary music, the quartet strives for a dynamic, imaginative approach to collaboration and programming that champions cross-cultural and interdisciplinary enterprises. Such recent projects include a live-performance art installation with artist Ana Prvački, performances with dancers from Brooklyn’s Dance Heginbotham, artistic exchanges with traditional Emirati poets in the UAE, and a collaboration with GRAMMY-winning folk trio I’m With Her.

Drawing from the mentorship of the esteemed Cleveland, Juilliard and Pacifica Quartets, the Verona Quartet’s rapid rise to international prominence was fueled by top prize wins at the Wigmore Hall, Melbourne, M-Prize and Osaka International Chamber Music Competitions, as well as the 2015 Concert Artists Guild Competition. Their debut album, Diffusion—featuring the quartets of Janacek, Ravel and Szymanowski—will be released on Azica Records in the summer of 2021. Their second album, SHATTER, will showcase the works of American composers Julia Adolphe, Michael Gilbertson and Reena Esmail, in collaboration with Hindustani vocalist Saili Oak.

The ensemble’s “thoughtful, impressive” (Cleveland Classical) performances emanate from the spirit of storytelling; the Quartet believes that this transcends genre and therefore the name "Verona" pays tribute to William Shakespeare, one of the greatest storytellers of all time.

The Verona Quartet are D’Addario Artists and The Violin Channel Artists.

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Sarah Dinin
David Fung as Special Guest for Queen Elisabeth Competition May 29

On May 29, David Fung will be featured as host Timothy Chooi’s special guest for the final day of the 2021 Queen Elisabeth Competition Piano Finals. David and Timothy will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes commentary during the live performance, including footage of David’s own prize-winning performance in the competition in 2013. Watch on the competition’s Twitch channel here.

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Sarah Dinin
Einav Yarden to Appear at Piano Biennale Festival in the Netherlands May 13-16

Despite the ongoing intense and intensifying measures for Covid-19 in Europe, the new Piano Biennale festival is going ahead and taking place as planned in May 13-16, 2021. Music, dance and art are interwoven in a set of concerts featuring solo piano and chamber music, and all taking place in the beautiful halls of the cities of Arnhem and Nejmegen in the Netherlands. All concerts will be live-streamed. Explore the festival further here and Einav’s May 13 program here.

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Sarah Dinin
Paul Neubauer & Danbi Um featured in Chamber Music Society's Live Return to Lincoln Center

On May 15, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center returned to in-person performances for the first time since March 2020. Violist Paul Neubauer and violinist Danbi Um from the Dinin Arts roster were featured. As the New York Classical Review noted regarding Dvořák’s Op. 81 quintet, “Neubauer’s viola sang the mournful dumka theme of the second movement with almost Hungarian soul.”

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Sarah Dinin