"Reimagining the American Art Form": Dover Quartet on the Cover of 'Strings' Magazine

Cover of Sept/Oct 2025 issue of Strings

The Dover Quartet is on the cover on the September/October 2025 issue of Strings magazine. Formed at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in 2008, the foursome—today consisting of Joel Link, violin; Bryan Lee, violin; Julianne Lee, viola; and Camden Shaw, cello—have become "one of the most acclaimed ensembles of its generation," writes Tom May. Their most recent album, Woodland Songs, includes the world premiere recordings of the title piece, which the quartet commissioned from the renowned Chickasaw-American composer Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, and of Tate's orchestration of Pura Fé's Rattle Songs.

From the start, the ensemble members have maintained a vital connection to their alma mater as quartet-in-residence, carrying forward a lineage once held by the legendary Guarneri Quartet. This summer’s release of Woodland Songs on the Curtis Studio label—an in-house initiative showcasing original recordings by Curtis-affiliated artists—caps the conservatory’s 100th anniversary season, underscoring how deeply intertwined the Dover Quartet remains with the institution that launched its career. The album combines new commissions with a fresh account of Dvořák’s Op. 96 “American” Quartet.

“There’s a sense of rhythmic groove in both Jerod’s Woodland Songs and in the Ulali Rattle Songs that can be found all over the place in the ‘American’ Quartet,” observes Shaw. “Mere seconds into the ‘American,’ there is a transition motive in D minor with a pulsing rhythm in the second violin that is almost certainly a rattle song or similar Native tune. Dvořák’s profound slow movement is also almost certainly from a traditional melody—perhaps slowed down and put in a new meter to explore it differently.”

Read the full piece here.

Find out more about the Dover Quartet, including all upcoming performances, at doverquartet.com.

Beijing Music Festival Announces 2025 Festival

Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices

The Beijing Music Festival (BMF), the most important international multi-day classical music event in China, has announced the details of its 28th festival, taking place October 10–24 under the theme Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices. The festival is a celebration of music and the arts, dedicated to exploring the dialogue between classical and contemporary music and between Eastern music and Western artistic forms. Through diverse performances—including the China premiere of Alban Berg’s groundbreaking 20th-century opera Wozzeck, for its 100th anniversary—the festival will showcase Beijing as a cultural center for innovation, integration, and creativity. 

On August 17th, BMF held a press conference at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center, announcing all major programming and activities. Attendees included representatives from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, BMF Artistic Committee Chair Long Yu, who founded the festival in 1998, and BMF Artistic Director Shuang Zou.

“This year’s festival aspires to be a high-caliber, internationally influential artistic celebration,” said Long Yu. “By presenting innovative musical works and formats, the festival will enrich cultural life in the capital.”

“The theme Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices highlights Beijing’s ability to blend traditional essence with innovation,” added Shuang Zou. “It emphasizes its identity as a city steeped in history, yet pulsating with modern energy.”

The 2025 Beijing Music Festival includes world-class performances and cross-cultural collaborations that feature Long Yu—a leading conductor and a pillar of the classical music industry in China—leading the China Philharmonic Orchestra, a longtime BMF collaborator, now celebrating its 25th anniversary; world-renowned conductor Charles Dutoit leading the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra; the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra; soloist Haochen Zhang, the Gold Medalist of the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition; star violinist Gil Shaham; internationally recognized Finnish conductor John Storgårds; Chinese piano prodigy Tianxu An, making his BMF debut performing music by the Russian composer Mikhail Pletnev; Japanese superstar pianist Hayato Sumino; conductor Yang Yang, who serves as artistic director of the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra; Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits; British conductor and harpsichordist Harry Bicket; and the Hungarian mezzo-soprano Ildikó Komlósi, among many others.

This year’s operatic programming features Handel’s Baroque classic Rinaldo and the Chinese premiere of Wozzeck. On October 14, Rinaldo will be performed at Forbidden City Concert Hall by The English Concert, one of the world’s leading period instrument ensembles, conducted and accompanied on harpsichord by Harry Bicket. The cast includes the rising Chinese countertenor Liu Shen. The new production of the groundbreaking classic Wozzeck is by the Belgium-based Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. It will be performed by Dutoit and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the premiere of the historic opera.

Committed to spotlighting Chinese composers on its global stage, BMF will also premiere new works by three Chinese composers this year: Du Yun, BMF’s 2019 Artist of the Year and the first Chinese woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, who returns for the premiere of A Sea Engraved in the Forest; the celebrated composer Huang Ruo, known for blending traditional Chinese motifs with contemporary techniques, premiering City of Floating Sounds; and the emerging Hong Kong composer Elliot Leung premiering Chinese Kitchen: A Feast of Flavors, an orchestral work inspired by Chinese cuisine.

New this year is the BMF Sunshine Youth Music Carnival, offering masterclasses, open music workshops, and interactive performances to increase public engagement. The 28th Beijing Music Festival will also expand beyond traditional venues, bringing music to the city streets, public spaces, and online platforms. The festival will continue its student ticket program while introducing flexible new ticketing options that include festival passes and opera packages. Through the website, official app, WeChat, and video accounts, and the social networking platform Xiaohongshu (RedNote), BMF provides streamlined services and digital experiences. 

For more information, please visit www.bmf.org.cn/en or www.facebook.com/BeijingMusicFestival/  

Beijing Music Festival 2025: Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices

—Long Yu and Haochen Zhang—
October 10, National Centre for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m.

• Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

• Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

China Philharmonic Orchestra
Long Yu, conductor
Haochen Zhang, piano 

—A Sea Engraved in the Forest—
October 12, Beijing Comedy Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Du Yun: A Sea Engraved in the Forest (world premiere, co-commissioned by BMF and Lincoln Center)

Du Yun collaborated with the Jino people of Yunnan, China’s last officially recognized ethnic group, to create a work that merges folk traditions with contemporary narrative. The project reflects Du Yun’s mission to preserve endangered cultural heritage while rooting modern music in deep cultural soil. The program exemplifies BMF’s role in bringing Chinese voices into the global cultural dialogue through original music. This program is a joint commission and production by the Beijing Music Festival and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Ancient Songs of the Jino Ethnic Group
Children’s Songs of the Jino Ethnic Group
Grand Drum Dance of the Jino Ethnic Group 

—Rinaldo—
October 14, Forbidden City Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

George Frideric Handel: Rinaldo, Opera in Three Acts

The English Concert
Harry Bicket, conductor and harpsichord

• Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Rinaldo (countertenor)

• Mary Bevan, Almirena (soprano)

• Paula Murrihy, Goffredo (mezzo-soprano)

• Alexander Chance, Eustazio (countertenor)

• Ashley Riches, Argante (bass-baritone)

• Rachael Wilson, Armida (mezzo-soprano)

• Andy Shen Liu, Araldo/Donna/Magician (countertenor)

—Melodies in Motion: Spring Bird@ BMF—
October 17, Genesis Beijing, 7:30 p.m.
October 19, Divine Music Administration Temple of Heaven, 5 p.m.

• Frédéric Chopin: Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brilliante, Op. 22

• Amy Beach: Romance, Op. 23

• Clara Schumann: Impromptu in E major

• Gaspar Cassadó: Suite for Solo Cello

• Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40

Daniel Wang, cello
Helen Meng, piano

—Wozzeck—
October 18, Poly Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 

Alban Berg: Wozzeck, Opera in three acts (China premiere) 

New production by Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Belgium
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Beijing Philharmonic Choir
Shanghai Conservatory of Music Choir
Charles Dutoit, conductor
Yifan Sun, assistant conductor
Julia Strelchenko, piano/repetiteur

Johan Simons, director
Sammy Van den Heuvel, scenographer
Greta Goiris, costume designer
Flóra Kruppa, costume designer
Friedrich Rom, lighting designer

• Robin Adams, Wozzeck (baritone)

• Magdalena Hofmann, Marie (mezzo-soprano)

• Michael Schade, Hauptmann (tenor)

• Martin Winkler, Doktor (bass-baritone)

• Samuel Sakker, Tambourmajor (tenor)

• Hugo Kampschreur, Andres (tenor)

• Lotte Verstaen, Margret (mezzo-soprano)

• Rueben Mbonambi, Handwerksbursch I (bass)

• Leander Carlier, Handwerksbursch II (baritone)

• Qirui Cui, Narr (tenor)

—Mikhail Pletnev Performs with the Rachmaninoff International Orchestra—
October 19, Forbidden City Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

• Mikhail Pletnev: 14 Musical Memories

• Mikhail Pletnev: Fantasia Helvetica for two pianos and orchestra 

• Rachmaninoff: Caprice Bohémien

Rachmaninoff International Orchestra
Kirill Karabits, conductor
Mikhail Pletnev, piano
Tianxu An, piano 

—City of Floating Sounds: BBC Philharmonic Special Concert—
October 20, multiple locations (RSVP only), 6 p.m.
October 20, NCPA Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

• Huang Ruo: City of Floating Sounds (city-walk version)

• Huang Ruo: City of Floating Sounds (live version)

• Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3

• Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
John Storgårds, conductor
Hayato Sumino, piano
Josh Kopeček, creative technologist

—Hayato Sumino Piano Recital—
October 21, Poly Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 

• Frédéric Chopin: Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20

• Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 48

• Hayato Sumino: Three Nocturnes

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826

• Hayato Sumino: Two Pieces of Chopin’s Recompositions

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870 from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II

• Friedrich Gulda: Prelude and Fugue

• Nikolai Kapustin: Concert Etudes, Op. 40 Nos. 1, 2 & 3

• Maurice Ravel: Boléro (arr. Hayato Sumino)

Hayato Sumino, piano

—Gil Shaham Performs with the China Philharmonic Orchestra—
October 24, Poly Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

• Elliot Leung: Chinese Kitchen: A Feast of Flavors (selections) (commissioned by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra)

• I. Da Hong Pao

• III. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

• IV. Peking Duck

• V. Deep Fried River Prawns

• IX. Glutinous Rice in Bamboo Tube

• X. Deep Fried Sesame Balls/Finale

• Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53

• Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77

China Philharmonic Orchestra
China National Opera House Chorus
Yang Yang, conductor
Gil Shaham, violin
Ildikó Komlósi, mezzo-soprano
Central Opera House Chorus

—Additional events—

• October 6–8: Youth Orchestra Showcase at the Beijing Music Industry Park, featuring student ensembles from universities, and primary and secondary schools in Beijing and other provinces. 

• October 11: Du Yun leads a forum titled Future · Tradition, at Hongsheng International Center, to explore how traditional Chinese music can be transformed in modern composition, underlining BMF’s core theme and Beijing’s vision for innovation with integrity. 

• October 15: Tianxu An performs a midday recital at CITIC Tower, combining classical masterpieces with contemporary works in a city landmark.

• October 17: Charles Dutoit and director Johan Simons discuss the artistic significance of Wozzeck in a special preview event at Genesis Beijing, offering insight into this landmark expressionist opera.

• October 17, Rising Voices: Cellist Tianyou Wang and pianist Huaying Meng offer a Romantic recital featuring works by Chopin and Clara Schumann. The performance highlights a fresh interpretation of Romanticism from a new generation’s lens.

• October 18: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra presents Musical Storyland, a children’s concert at Genesis Beijing, blending storytelling and classical music in an interactive experience. 11–11:45 a.m.

• October 21: Hayato Sumino Meet and Greet, at Winland Beijing IFC. 12–1 p.m. 

• October 22: Ildikó Komlósi Masterclass

• October 23: Gil Shaham Masterclass 

More about the Beijing Music Festival
Since its founding in 1998 by conductor Long Yu, BMF offers a glimpse into the future of classical music, creating a platform for domestic and international performance exchanges, turning Beijing into an international music hub every fall. Now led by Artistic Director Shuang Zou, the festival bridges China to the rest of the world through the arts, also galvanizing the creation of Western and Chinese contemporary music. BMF lets young Chinese musicians showcase their talents from a platform with global reach, which has been the driving force for Long Yu, the former artist director who now serves as the chairman of the Artistic Committee, for many years. BMF is the most authoritative arts and culture event in Asia.

"Richly rewarding: Yulianna Avdeeva is on five-star form in Shostakovich," says BBC Music Magazine

The September 2025 issue of BBC Music Magazine is out. Pianist Yulianna Avdeeva gets a five-star review for her new recording of Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues, op. 87, available now on PENTATONE.

Avdeeva’s take on the monumental cycle for solo piano is "a jewel box of treasures," says the reviewer.

And as the brief pieces flit by, their myriad characters are drawn out by Avdeeva's nimble fingers, cool approach and nuanced understanding. She particularly makes the more elusive, quiet numbers gleam like gems. ... Shostakovich's stylistic nods to Bach are beautifully delineated but never overstated…

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, Avdeeva performed the entire piece in the 2024-25 season, including at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig; Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin; Palau de la Música in Barcelona; Saitama Arts Center, in Tokyo; Festival de Lanaudière, in Quebec; National Centre for the Performing Arts, in Beijing; Ostrava, in the Czech Republic; and Seon, in Switzerland, among others. Later this year, she performs the full piece at Círculo de Bellas Artes, in Madrid. Find out more at avdeevapiano.com.

Check out the full review here.

¡Viva Beethoven en México, con Anne-Marie McDermott!

Anne-Marie McDermott returns to Nezahualcóyotl Hall, in Mexico City, this weekend to perform Beethoven's Piano Concertos 4 and 5, over three concerts, with the distinguished Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería. At the podium is conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, an old collaborator.

Ahead of the concerts, McDermott talked with Antonio Becerril Romo, from El Economista. “Carlos Miguel Prieto and I have worked together for 20 years in various places and with various orchestras in the United States," she told him. "I worked with him in Xalapa (Veracruz) and also with the Sinfónica de Minería. We have a deep trust, and I feel we are like-minded in the way we approach Beethoven's music.”

For the American pianist, the personality of Ludwig van Beethoven's piano concertos is so diverse that it offers many possibilities for working with them. “There's a lot of joy in these five concertos, and you have these moments where you hear Beethoven in a very good mood. Then you have the opposite, as if you were in the depths of emotion, and I love those challenges and rely on them when working with Carlos Miguel Prieto and the musicians of Minería.”

McDermott is currently recording, for the first time, Beethoven's cycle of five piano concertos with Prieto and the Sinfónica de Minería.

To read the full piece, click here.

To find out more about the concerts, click here.

Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott on “The Strad”: Commemorating 50 years since Shostakovich’s death with New Album

Anne-Marie McDermott releases today the new album Shostakovich on First Hand Records, the day before the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. One of the most dazzling American pianists of her generation, McDermott is joined by violist Paul Neubauer, praised as “a master musician” by The New York Times. The album is available on a DigiSleeve CD and on all streaming/download platforms. It consists of the Cello Sonata, Op. 40, in an arrangement for viola and piano; the recently discovered Impromptu, Op. 33; and the Viola Sonata, Op. 147, Shostakovich’s final work.

“Perhaps the anniversary is a fitting occasion for violist Paul Neubauer and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott to record the Viola Sonata, which was Shostakovich’s final work, completed just over one month before his death in 1975,” writes The Strad in today’s feature, also recounting the 2017 discovery of the short but delectable Impromptu.

Anne-Marie McDermott and Paul Neubauer at Tippet Rise Art Center, where the album was recorded (credit: Emily Rund)

“It was a huge honor and inspiration to record this album at the magnificent Tippet Rise Art Center with violist Paul Neubauer,” says McDermott. “The environment at Tippet Rise created the most magical and serene backdrop for such profound and powerful music. These two sonatas are such an important part of musical history and they reflect a universe far beyond our human understanding. Having the opportunity to record them with Paul, an artist and friend whom I admire so much, was an intense, magical journey.”

To read the full piece, click here.

To find out more about the album and order your copy, click here.

Photo credit: Tristan Cook

2025 Vancouver Arts & Music Festival Featured in The Columbian and KGW

Grammy Award winning cellist Zuill Bailey returns to Vancouver to play with the new local Youth Virtuosi orchestra in its debut. (Windows on Life Photography)

Presented by The City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, the 2025 Vancouver Arts & Music Festival is a free multidisciplinary arts festival, taking place this weekend in Esther Short Park and downtown Vancouver, WA. It’s a joyful celebration of community through the shared experience of the arts. World-renowned soprano Renée Fleming, conductors Gerard Schwarz and Salvador Brotons, GRAMMY-winning cellist Zuill Bailey, guitar soloist Sharon Isbin, Americana stars Mark & Maggie O’Connor, Latin jazz sensation Tito Puente, Jr. and his Orchestra, Inuit-soul group Pamyua, the acrobatics and comedy duo the Kif-Kif Sisters, and the playful pop-up ensemble Clown Garage are some of stars who are performing.

“While classical music is the driving force behind the upcoming Vancouver Arts & Music Festival, don’t be surprised to find yourself jumping out of your lawn chair and grooving to sounds and rhythms from all around the world,” writes Scott Hewitt for The Columbian.

Classical still a mainstay but the fest also includes dance, juried art exhibits and music from around the world.

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Igor Shakhman came up with the idea for the festival in the wake of the pandemic to showcase Southwest Washington’s rich arts scene, which he said had been a “well-kept secret.” The festival “highlights an exciting chapter in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s artistic growth and leadership role in the community,” Shakhman said.

Read the full piece here.

Mark and Maggie O'Connor were also featured on KGW, Portland news, this week! The perform Mark’s own music, with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, on Friday. Watch the segment below:

Dover Quartet and Curtis Studio Present “Woodland Songs”: Music of Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, Pura Fé, and Dvořák

World premiere recordings of Tate's Abokkoli' Taloowa' (Woodland Songs), commissioned by the Dover Quartet, and Tate’s orchestration of Pura Fé’s Rattle Songs, available August 15 via Curtis Studio

—Watch album trailer here—

New York (July 31, 2025) — The two-time GRAMMY-nominated Dover Quartet, declared one of the greatest string quartets of the last 100 years by BBC Music Magazine and “the next Guarneri Quartet” by the Chicago Tribune, releases Woodland Songs: Music of Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, Pura Fé, and Dvořák on August 15 via Curtis Studio, the recording label of the Curtis Institute of Music, where the quartet was formed in 2008 and serves as the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence.

“This album is, at its heart, an exploration of the rich inheritance of music from the North American continent,” wrote the members of the Dover Quartet in a joint statement. “While the three works contrast each other substantially in style, expression, and historical context, they all share the common influence of music native to North America. Each piece exists in its own sonic and textural world, while informing and enriching the way we listen to the others.” 

The album features the world premiere recording of Abokkoli' Taloowa' (Woodland Songs) by the Chickasaw-American composer Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, and of his orchestration for string quartet of Rattle Songs, by the Tuscarora/Taino singer-songwriter Pura Fé, a founding member of the Native women’s a cappella group Ulali. Both modern artists find inspiration from the traditional music of their respective tribes and traditions, but also imbue their music with wholly original ideas.

Dover Quartet | from left to right: Joel Link (’11), violin; Julianne Lee (violin ’05), viola; Camden Shaw (’10, ’11), cello; Bryan Lee (’11), violin

That was also the case for Antonín Dvořák when he composed the String Quartet No. 12 in F major, “American,” in 1893, while vacationing in a Czech immigrant community in Spillville, Iowa. Though, of course, Dvořák was not of Native heritage, his aim for the piece was to inspire an “American” sound. Like in his famous Symphony No. 9, Dvořák was drawn to the music of American traditions, blending them with his own musical roots.

Commissioned* for the Dover Quartet, Abokkoli' Taloowa' (Woodland Songs) is a modern Chickasaw composition about animals from Tate’s Southeastern homelands, where traditional woodland animals are so revered that family clans are named after them and each animal has a special ethos. Tate, whose own family is Shawi' Iksa'—Raccoon Clan, represents five woodland animals with his piece: Squirrel, Woodpecker, Deer, Fish, and Raccoon. “Each movement is like an epitome—a deep, dramatic, and rhapsodic expression of my feelings of being a Chickasaw man from a beautiful and robust culture,” he writes in his program note. “I encourage each listener to create their own emotional story of each animal and imprint these legends into their hearts.”

Woodland Songs is full of Chickasaw melodies and rhythms. Sometimes these elements appear very clearly, when melodies soar above the ensemble; sometimes they are abstracted into the texture of the quartet and hidden inside the spirit of each animal. “I allow myself to fluidly dance between cultural clarity and modern expressionism,” Tate continues. “I am deeply inspired by our modern Native artists, choreographers, authors, and filmmakers—each proudly expressing their individual identity within rich ancestry.”

Rattle Songs is a suite that Pura Fé composed for Ulali. The group’s 1994 album Mahk Jchi (Our Hearts), which includes the original vocal version, modernizes Native songs through innovative arrangements and rich harmonies. The piece brings together songs from different parts of Indian Country and brilliantly couches them in traditional woodland shell-shaking styles.

Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate; Pura Fé

“[Ulali’s] work had a powerfully deep impact on my personal vision as a Native composer,” says Tate. He shares a passion for Mahk Jchi with Camden Shaw, the Dover Quartet’s cellist, who asked Tate to make the orchestration. “I have created these orchestrations that are classically impressionistic in a postmodern style,” says Tate. “I make no deliberate attempt to imitate the exact sound of rattles from the original songs; rather, I have created a new home for them in the string quartet. Pura Fé created Rattle Songs as a homage to her Native North American cousins and it is my hope that my orchestrations create another layer of honoring our people.”

 *Abokkoli' Taloowa' (Woodland Songs) and the orchestration of Rattle Songs were commissioned for the Dover Quartet by Curtis Institute of Music and the following co-commissioners: Arizona Friends of Chamber Music; Cal Performances, UC Berkeley; Carnegie Hall; Chamber Music Houston; Chamber Music Northwest; Chamber Music Pittsburgh; Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth; Friends of Chamber Music Denver; Kingston Chamber Music Festival; Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music; and Shriver Hall Concert Series.

For more information, please visit doverquartet.com, curtis.edu/WoodlandSongs, and jerodtate.com.

Dover Quartet and Curtis Studio Present Woodland Songs: Music of Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, Pura Fé, and Dvořák 

Rattle Songs, by Pura Fé, orchestrated by Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate

1. No. 1, Shanoojhee

2. No. 2, Viri Kuta

3. No. 3, Haweheemo

4. No. 4, Grammah Easter's Lullaby

5. No. 5, For the Pepper (In Memory of Jim Pepper)

6. No. 6, Women’s Shuffle

7. No. 7, Great Grandpa’s Banjo

Abokkoli' Taloowa' (Woodland Songs), by Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate

1. No. 1, Fani' (Squirrel)

2. No. 2, Bakbak (Woodpecker)

3. No. 3, Issi' (Deer)

4. No. 4, Nani' (Fish)

5. No. 5, Shawi' (Raccoon)

String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, B. 179, “American,” by Antonín Dvořák

1. I. Allegro ma non troppo

2. II. Lento

3. III. Molto vivace

4. IV. Finale. Vivace ma non troppo

Performed by Dover Quartet

• Joel Link, violin

• Bryan Lee, violin

• Julianne Lee, viola

• Camden Shaw, cello

• Executive producer: Vince Ford

• Producer: Alan Bise

• Recording engineer: Drew Schlegel

• Mastering engineer: Alex Santilli

• Atmos engineer: Stan Kybert

• Assistant producers: Daniel J. Armistead, Vince Ford

• Liner notes: Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, Daniel J. Armistead

• Recorded: September 13–14, 2024; January 8–9, 2025 in Gould Rehearsal Hall at Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, PA

• Release date: August 15, 2025

From left to right: Camden Shaw, Julianne Lee, and Joel Link, recording Dvořák’s “American” Quartet in
Gould Rehearsal Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music, September 13–14, 2024

Rachel Barton Pine Featured on the Cincinnati Business Courier

Violinist Rachel Barton Pine makes her debut in a “Silk Road” program with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra on Aug. 2, performing the world premiere live performance of a new violin concerto by the Syrian American composer Malek Jandali, which she released on Cedille.

Rachel recently spoke to the Cincinnati Business Courier. “What's interesting about Middle Eastern music is there's such a strong tradition of violin playing in so many of those countries,” she said.

Pine is a busy violinist who dazzles, whether she’s playing classics such as Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto or a new concerto by jazz artist Billy Childs written specifically for her. She had just returned from performing in Finland when we spoke by phone, and she explained the story of how Jandali wrote this concerto.

Besides championing contemporary music, Pine is dedicated to researching historical works and the best practices on how they should be performed. On Aug. 3, she’ll perform a Vivaldi Violin Concerto on her viola d’amore. The instrument emerged in the 1600s, and is played on the shoulder like a violin, but it has no frets and features three Islamic sound holes, she explained. Its resonating strings are also a Middle Eastern device, so one theory is that it was the viola of the Moors, she added.

Read the full piece here.

Find out more about the concerts here.

Sandbox Percussion & Andy Akiho on Chamber Music America

This month, the Sandbox Percussion Summer Seminar, at The New School, celebrated its 10th anniversary. Sandbox Percussion is the College of Performing Arts’ GRAMMY-nominated ensemble-in-residence.

The closing event, on July 22, was a full performance of Andy Akiho’s large-scale Seven Pillars and Portal, with players from the seminar joining Sandbox and Akiho. Seven Pillars is a tremendous 11-part, 80-minute piece for percussion quartet. The New York Times described it as a "brooding, thrilling, Mahler-length taxonomy of noise."

Before the seminar concluded, Orchid McRae, from Chamber Music America, caught up with Sandbox Percussion’s Ian Rosenbaum and composer Andy Akiho to discuss collaboration, education, and developing new repertoire. “This year is particularly special, because the participants are performing the entire Seven Pillars—on their own,” Ian tells her. He goes on:

Our Sandbox Percussion Seminar has been an annual highlight of our schedule. It is one of the busiest weeks we have, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. When we started this group, there weren’t too many people out in the world trying to do this sort of thing—but that’s changing rapidly. It invigorates and inspires us to see so many young people playing chamber music at such a high level. It’s also really, really fun for us to spend time playing music with participants from all over the world. We learn things about this repertoire every year.

Read the full piece here.

The Strad: ‘A dream finally realised’: Rachel Barton Pine on recording French chamber works with old friends

Rachel Barton Pine with Orion Weiss and the Pacifica Quartet (photo courtesy of the artists)

This month, Rachel Barton Pine and Cedille Records released a new album, her 25th on the label, of French music with the Pacifica Quartet and pianist Orion Weiss. French Impressions: Chamber Music by Chausson & Tailleferre consists of chamber works of various configurations by these two composers from turn-of-the-century and early mid-20th-century France. With French Impressions, Pine realizes a long-held dream. She tells correspondent Thomas May:

I love solo performances, whether concertos or recitals, because it’s a chance to explore and share my personal voice. On the other hand, playing chamber music helps me continue to grow as an artist by learning about colleagues’ ideas and trying them out. Being one part of a greater whole is musically rewarding in a different way. Blending in with one of my favourite ensembles, the Pacifica Quartet, was just as rewarding as I had always imagined.

For people who haven’t heard Tailleferre’s music, or maybe haven’t even heard of her at all, I hope that this taste of her output inspires people to seek out more of her works. I hope that everyone who hears our performances enjoys our interpretations.

Read the full piece here.

Listen to the new album here.