Jannie, Kim, and Eric welcome first violinist Anthea Kreston for Delgani’s seventh season
Delgani String Quartet
ANTHEA KRESTON
Board of Directors Lynnette Campbell, president Yvonne Lyles, secretary Dan Temmesfeld, treasurer Eric Alterman Jeanne Collins Kristin Everett Anthea Kreston Kimberlee Uwate Robert Voss Jannie Wei
JANNIE WEI
KIMBERLEE UWATE
ERIC ALTERMAN
Thank You Season Sponsors!
Staff Executive Director Wyatt True Marketing and Operations Mark Rockwood
Support Delgani
We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that relies on individual and foundation support for all of our programs in including performances, educational engagements, and summer camps. To support our programs please use the enclosed envelope or visit www.delgani.org. For planned giving through our endowment with the Oregon Community Foundation, please contact our Executive Director Wyatt True at delgani@delgani.org or (541) 579-5882.
www.delgani.org
Dear Delgani Family, It feels like every year Delgani is either navigating an internal transition or experiencing an external force of change! Five years ago, in our first two seasons, our founding violist and cellist moved away and their seats were filled by Kim and Eric. Over the past two years we have all been dealing with COVID and its repercussions for live music, not to mention for life in general. And now, as we start our seventh season, we welcome violinist Anthea Kreston to take my seat in the quartet. You will learn more about Anthea in the following pages and, once you do, I’m sure you will share my excitement for the upcoming season. Anthea’s experience is going to be a game-changer for Delgani with the result being even greater concert experiences for you! I think you’ll also find this season’s programming to be very compelling – each concert features classics by Beethoven, Haydn, and others, while also showcasing a contemporary work. Our season-opener this fall features a quartet by Reza Vali, an Iranian composer who received his PhD at the University of Pittsburgh (my alma mater!) and is currently on faculty at Carnegie Melon. Mr. Vali is planning to give a virtual preconcert lecture on his piece that all subscribers will have access to! The remaining programs on our season include works by John Luther Adams, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Elena Ruehr. You might remember Elena from our premiere of her third quartet, subtitled “A Thousand Cranes,” back in January of 2020. We are committed to the continued livestreaming of our performances. If you are unable to attend a live performance in Eugene, Salem, or Portland, we hope you will tune in virtually. All subscribers everywhere will receive access to pre-concert digital content, which has elevated the listening experience for many audience members. Thank you for your continued enthusiasm for chamber music. I look forward to ushering in this new season with you!
Wyatt True Executive Director Delgani String Quartet
Meet Anthea Kreston Delgani’s New First Violinist “Anthea is a soloist of the Heifetz-Shaham-Vengerov caliber, whose musical instincts could make even a mere bagatelle thrill the soul and stir the senses to a frenzy.” - The San Diego Reader Violinist Anthea Kreston sometimes just needs to pinch herself. How did she get so lucky? She was the first American violinist to be a member of a major European string quartet, Germany’s Artemis Quartet – and she travelled the world, performing on some of the most legendary stages a person could dream of, from Carnegie Hall to London’s Wigmore – from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to Seoul. She loves to write – penning a classical music blog on the London-based Slipped Disc which was one of the top-5 most read music blogs internationally, as well as founding and curating the Fortnightly Music Book Club. She was a Professor at the Universität der Kunste Berlin, where Clara Schumann and Bruch taught, a Master Teacher at the Queen Elizabeth Chapel in Brussels, and teacher at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Her mentors include Ida Kavafian, the Emerson Quartet and Isaac Stern. She toured for years with Yo-Yo Ma as a part of his Silk Road Project, landing in places as exotic as Las Vegas and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and everything between. She is the executive and artistic director of Majestic Chamber Music Series as well as Inside Music Academy, a ground-breaking virtual music school. As a recording artist for Warner Classics, she has received both the Echo Award, Europe’s Grammy Award, and the Diaspason D’Or, France’s highest award from music critics. She has hosted her own podcast from the Boulez Hall in the heart of East Berlin and has played in the Berlin Philharmonic, and as concertmaster of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. But most of all, she loves being with her family – two hilarious and generous daughters and a super-duper husband, growing tomatoes, and petting guinea pigs. • • • • • • •
Curtis Institute of Music graduate Studies with Tokyo, Juilliard, Amadeus, Vermeer, Cleveland and Emerson quartets Member of Artemis Quartet (2016-2019) Grand Prize at Concert Artists Guild International Competition Grand Prize at Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition Recordings on Warner, Channel Classics, Naxos, Cedille, and Centaur record labels Chamber Music America grant recipient for work with AIDS patients and abused children in Hartford, CT
Why Join Another Quartet?! by Anthea Kreston
It feels like a life-time ago when I think back on it - Artemis Quartet - the blur of concerts, living out of a suitcase, intensity of rehearsal, complexity of human relations. It stretched me further than possible - at times I was within a hair of breaking - and my musical life and family life flourished and suffered equally. But the addiction of the slow-learn - the satisfaction of the greatest repertoire on earth, the thrill of live performance and warm internal glow of a life somehow enhanced, somehow made greater through the work these things cannot be achieved in any other musical form. Or that’s what quartet musicians believe, for what it’s worth. In Oregon - yes the Oregon that you read about - anarchists in Portland, fires lapping at our toes - life feels calm, steady and secure. There is but one full-time quartet in all of Oregon - in many ways, Oregon feels (as a transplant from the Midwest) like a huge forest dotted with mountains and wild ocean, idyllic small towns, where every other shop is a bakery and farmers markets line Main Street twice a week. And people make a living from the land - lumber, farming, grapes, fishing, skiing, rock-climbing and marine biology. As a musician, I feel like a rare and valued breed - a specimen from the past, where skills were learned from master to apprentice - looked at quizzically and yet with care and interest. And so it was with great surprise, followed closely by a keen interest, that the one quartet in this fine and unique state was searching for a first violinist. What followed - the repertoire learned, audition process, trial concert and meetings - these all felt familiar to me. I know how to play that, do this. And as I got to know more about this quartet - actually a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization - it seemed perfect for me, for my family, and for the world we live in now. It’s different from any group I have been a member of - there is a monthly board meeting and artistic planning meetings, there is an executive director, and a strong fan base. The Delgani Quartet has four of its own series, several camps, seminars, educational programs, and an automatic monthly income. Despite the havoc that Covid has wreaked on many an artist and organization (even the mighty Artemis has stumbled under the weight of this terrible pandemic), the Delgani was resilient and creative during Covid - continuing its performances and its solid and growing financial status. The difficulties of quartet life - the travel, hotels, erratic and unstable income - these are not a part of my future. A perfect number of concerts (around 25) per year, great repertoire, and my head on my own pillow every night. Colleagues who care about social issues, who are rock climbers and have close relationships with their loyal audience members - this is something different, something wonderful and something lovely. It’s music for what music means to me - it’s community, digging deep into the place you live (instead of spreading out thinly over a wide area), and in the end, it’s about being caretakers of the most magical, fulfilling and challenging music a person can hope to get to know.
2021/2022 Subscription Series Don’t live in Oregon or don’t want to see a concert in person? Every Eugene performance is also livestreamed! All subscribers everywhere will have access to livestreamed performances and preconcert digital content.
Echoes of Song Dvořák – Vali – Price – Prokofiev Salem Eugene Eugene Portland
October 30, 3 pm, Unitarian Universalist Church October 31, 3 pm, Christian Science Church November 2, 7:30 pm, Christian Science Church November 4, 7:30 pm, PSU’s Lincoln Recital Hall
Wind in High Places Adams – Britten – Beethoven Salem Eugene Eugene Portland
January 29, 3 pm, Unitarian Universalist Church January 30, 3 pm, Christian Science Church February 1, 7:30 pm, Christian Science Church February 3, 7:30 pm, PSU’s Lincoln Recital Hall
Leyendas Arriaga – Frank – Ginastera – Turina Salem Eugene Eugene Portland
March 12, 3 pm, Unitarian Universalist Church March 13, 3 pm, Christian Science Church March 15, 7:30 pm, Christian Science Church March 10, 7:30 pm, PSU’s Lincoln Recital Hall
Dance of Joy Haydn – Ruehr – Brahms Salem Eugene Eugene Portland
May 21, 3 pm, Unitarian Universalist Church May 22, 3 pm, Christian Science Church May 24, 7:30 pm, Christian Science Church May 26, 7:30 pm, PSU’s Lincoln Recital Hall
Tune In We are excited to be able to livestream our subscription series. To learn more about how to tune in, keep reading. How can I get access? Subscribe to our series! Not only will you receive full access to all of the concerts, but you will also receive exclusive pre-concert digital content. To learn more about our subscriptions series and to subscribe, visit www.delgani.org/subscription-series/. Where can I watch livestreamed performances? Our Eugene subscription series concerts will be streamed live at www.delgani.org/live/. Ticket holders everywhere will receive a password to access the livestreams on the Friday prior to each concert set. Just enter the password into the embedded video and you will have access. Can I watch on my smart TV? Yes, you can! Connect your computer directly to you TV using an HDMI cable or “cast” the performance from a smartphone or tablet using Apple TV, Chromecast, or Amazon Fire. For more information visit https://www.delgani.org/livestream-faqs/.
Livestreaming in Style! Many Delgani subscribers choose to make livestreaming a real event with food and drink and sometimes even dressing up! Martha and Bill of Eugene, both longtime fans, have their own routine: The concert was a joy. We definitely tuned in and sat comfortably and had homemade hummus and veggies and I had wine… Bill doesn’t drink alcohol, so iced coffee for him … and the music was divine! – Martha & Bill
Bill and Martha delighted to watch Delgani while enjoying wine and cheese (with cherry juice for Bill)
Pacific Crest Trail by Eric Alterman One thing I have loved about living in Eugene for the past five years is the opportunity to recharge in nature during the summers. The beauty of these western landscapes, the minimal simplicity of backpacking, the physical exertion, and time spent with good friends, are all wonderful breaks from my cello playing routine. This August, I spent three weeks with two friends hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. The Washington PCT is one of the most famously beautiful sections of the trail - it travels over ridges with sweeping views of vast, mountainous terrain, and into dense forests with numerous creeks and waterfalls. What none of us fully realized before we left was just how difficult this trail is. Page four of my map description (which I got around to reading after the trip) describes it as a “torturous path.” We were made fully aware of this difficulty towards the exhausting end of a 24-mile day, when we were drenched by a thunderstorm and pelted with dime size hail. Suffice to say, by the end of an exhausting five days covering over 100 miles, we scrapped our plan to hike the entire state of Washington, and found a fortuitous Craigslist ride to help expedite our trip. Two weeks later, after hiking through the stunning Goat Rocks Wilderness and crossing the Bridge of the Gods into Cascade Locks, we were elated, exhausted, and happy to be back in Oregon.
Double Trouble by Jannie Wei Wow, a year has gone by so quickly since I wrote for the last Delgani newsletter! So much has happened during this time but the most significant event was the birth of our second daughter, Adelyn. I assumed that a second child would be double the work and responsibility but it feels like a lot more than that! The last six months have been both challenging and exciting – many sleepless nights but also many new moments to appreciate. Our toddler Lilah, now a member of the “Terrific Two’s,” has been asserting her own personality as she learns to share the world with her new sister. Adelyn is changing every day and starting to become more interactive. I love spending time with my girls but am looking forward to a return to live performance. This year is particularly exciting as we welcome our new violinist, Anthea Kreston. I hope to see all of you soon!
Lilah at a playground near our home; Adelyn relaxing in the living room; Lilah playing her violin; Adelyn enjoying a warm bath
Composer Deep Dives by Kimberlee Uwate Summers are always a good time to recharge, rejuvenate, rehash viola technique, and explore things that I generally don’t have time to get around to during the year. In many ways, this entire last year has felt like one long extension of my summertime working mode. It was an opportunity to take the slow and steady pace, gently exploring with the goal of forward progress. I’ve been working on a few things: some technical viola skills like the flexibility and strength of my lefthand; some listening skills like fine tuning my ears’ sensitivity to harmony by playing solo Bach; and some intellectual things like learning about the lives of composers whose music has been part of my life for decades. I love a good deep dive into a composer’s music and life because external context always enriches our personal connection to the notes that we hear. Situations unique to a composer’s world, life, economics, relationships, and culture have always fascinated me—I love being a time traveler into these worlds that are so different than our own. After graduating with my doctorate, I wondered how to keep the little academic side of my brain growing while focusing most of my time on playing and teaching. So that summer of 2019, I booked an AirBnB for a month in Vienna (one that had a grand piano in its basement), and I spent the month learning more about Schubert, Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart. I visited their neighborhoods and went to the theaters where their music was played. I visited their gravesites and listened to their string quartets. And I studied through biographies, books on cultural matters, and theoretical analyses of their works. It was intense, but so fruitful. Since that summer, my studies haven’t been as concentrated, but they’ve become still an important part of my growth as a musician—and they’ve had a more direct purpose. In Delgani’s virtual seminars, I’ve loved talking about music and its context with all of you! This year, we’re continuing these beginning with a seminar on Mozart’s string quartets. Preparing for this seminar takes me back to my experiences in Europe, while bringing those studies into our current conversations about the string quartet music we all love. I’m grateful that the Delgani community is always up for trying new things—and that we explore and dive deep together.
L to R – inside the lobby of the Burg Theater where Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro” was premiered (2019); Happily preparing for Delgani’s Mozart seminars with my quartet scores (2021); Signs helped guide me to Mozart’s graveside memorial (2019)
Special Upcoming Concerts A-Squared Productions presents Delgani in Hope on the Butte, a season of performances featuring local musicians and artists and a return to the richness of sharing live concerts and theater. Saturday, October 2 @ 4 pm Live outdoor concert www.asquaredarts.com
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salem presents Delgani to kick off their Evensong Concert Series. The unique program includes secular and sacred music by Josquin des Pres, Palestrina, Purcell, Scarlatti, Hovhaness, and Mozart. Sunday, October 3 @ 4 pm Live and livestreamed www.stpaulsoregon.org
Body of Sound, Delgani’s collaboration with DanceAbility International, is finally nearing completion! Originally planned to be a statewide tour in the spring of 2020, the project has evolved into a performance video to be recorded on October 14 at the Hult Center. We regret that a live performance is no longer possible but we look forward to sharing the final digital production with you. Stay tuned!
Delgani and DanceAbility in February 2020 (pc Mike Bragg)
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