ChamberFest

a Del Sol Chamber Music Workshop for Adult Non-Professionals

“This workshop opened my eyes to a “brave new world” of musical possibilities for myself as a musician AND as an audience member.”
— Chamberfest Participant

Chamberfest participants

Chamberfest Coaches - Del Sol Quartet

Chamberfest Guest Composer - Shane Cook

ChamberFest is an exciting, intensive weekend chamber music workshop for adult amateur string players. This fantastic weekend program is held in the intimate setting of a San Francisco Heights home.  There’s intense coaching, great food and drink, guest composers, and a house concert by the Del Sol Quartet.

The next ChamberFest is January 25-26, 2025

Guest composer: Shane Cook

 

2025 information will be available late August 2024.

  • Description Ensembles will receive two days of coaching on their choice of repertoire with members of the Del Sol Quartet.  (Suggestions for will be made for other short contemporary works to explore during the weekend,)   In addition to the extensive coaching, participants will enjoy great food & drink, an intimate concert by Del Sol, and two intriguing or pragmatic workshops.  (Workshops have included topics on: ensemble, rhythm, intonation, the physical aspects of playing , contemporary repertoire and more.)

    2024 dates: January 27-28, 2024

    2024 Application – apply now! (due by December 11, 2023)

    For more information please contact Kathryn Bates at kathryn@delsolquartet.com

  • The planned protocols include the following. If we change these protocols, we will let people by Jan 1, 2024.

    Participants & coaches will be asked to provide proof of vaccination.

    Participants & coaches will be asked to provide a negative rapid antigen test on the first morning of the workshop.

    We encourage people to wear masks throughout the workshop.

    HEPA air filters will be provided in each room of coaching.

    Outdoor eating areas will be provided.

  • Description text goes hereDates & Times: Saturday January 27 (9AM-7:30PM) & Sunday January 28 (9AM-4PM)

    Location:  Outer Richmond, San Francisco, CA.

    Cost: 2024 Tuition is $365/weekend including food. Credit card payments will be charged the processing fee of 3.5% for a fee of $378. We are able to offer a limited number of scholarships for those who have financial difficulty in attending the workshop.

    Ensembles: This workshop focuses on the string quartet and is available to 5 ensembles.  These can include quartet “plus” (e.g. quintet, sextet).  We are limited to one group including piano, so please contact Chamberfest specifically (kathryn@delsolquartet.com). Mixed string/wind ensembles accepted on a limited basis.

    Preformed groups only.  Applications from incomplete groups (2-3 people looking for additional players) and individuals will be accepted, but we cannot guarantee assignment to a group.

    Auditions:  No audition required. Notifications for individuals & partial ensembles will be by December 18, 2024. Notifications for groups within 2 weeks of application or by December 18.

    Registration: Complete the application.  No application fee.

    Tuition: Tuition is due January 8, 2024.  You can use online payment (with 3.5% surcharge) or a mail check (Payable to: DSPAO) to:

    Del Sol ChamberFest 751 – 47th Ave San Francisco, California 94121

  • Each Chamberfest we explore the relationship between performer and composer and study the works of living composers.

    ****

    2024: Berkeley-based Erika Oba will share her music as composer and performer. Her 4 quartets written for Del Sol are available for participants to play. More info here

    2023: Longtime Del Sol collaborator Jungyoon Wie will share her music and discuss her current climate initiative work with the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music.

    2022: We’ll explore the wide variety of composers in Del Sol’s Joy Project, including the Quartet’s own Charlton & Sam

    2020: We are excited to have Bay Area composer Danny Clay join us for the weekend, including a Del Sol performance. Danny’s ethos is deeply rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and the sheer joy of making things with people of all ages and levels of artistic experience. We encourage to participants to try some of his music during the workshop!

    2019: We are thrilled to be joined by Turkish composer Erberk Eryilmaz for the workshop.  Erberk will share about his compositional process and inspiration, as well as coach some of the quartets.  Movements of his quartets will be made available to work on during the workshop.  Del Sol will also perform Eryilmaz’s “Hoppa! 2” in the evening performance.

    2018: We will be joined this year by extraordinary cellist and composer Theresa Wong, who will explore her compositional aesthetics of intersecting composed music with improvisation and outside genres.  At the house concert, Del Sol will share her new work for quartet written in honor of their 25th anniversary.      New in 2018 – Participants will break up the long hours of playing with a neck and shoulders stretching class led by yoga instructor Mary Anne Shinta.

    2017: We were thrilled to welcome world-renowned composer Gabriela Lena Frank for a talk on string quartet music & a masterclass with participants, with a Del Sol preview of her new string quartet.  We also brought in a  “culinary” composer – guest chef Ayako Iino – who cooking philosophy comes from 8 years of self sustaining life in rural Japan, farming and cooking from the garden and the field, and who trained in Italian and California cuisines at Oliveto, Boulette’s Larder, and Chez Panisse.

    2016: Participants collaborated in the premiere of a new work composed specifically for this workshop by composer Mark Ackerley!

    2015: Both Chamberfest groups and Del Sol performed parts of Pierre Jalbert’s energetic String Quartet no. 4

  • Saturday January 28

    9AM arrive & greet / coffee  

    9:30 orientation

    9:45-11 rehearse / coach

    11-11:15 break

    11:15-12:30 rehearse / coach

    12:30-1:30 lunch

    1:30-2:45 rehearse / coach

    2:45-4 workshop

    4:00-5:15 rehearse / coach

    5:15-5:30 break

    5:30-6:30 Del Sol performs

    6:30-7:30 dinner

    Post-Dinner: sight-reading/freelancing (optional)

    Sunday January 29

    9AM arrive

    9:30-11:30 rehearse / coach

    11:15-11:30 break

    11:30-12:30 workshop with Del Sol Quartet

    12:30-1:15 lunch

    1:15-2:30 rehearse / coach

    2:30-4:00 performance

  • Each year, we offer “pragmatic & intriguing workshops” during Chamberfest. Topics vary from year to year.

    Selected past topics:

    Masterclass & talk with composer Erberk Eryilmaz

    Talk with Del Sol Quartet – How to Work On Genre-Crossing Music

    Masterclass & talk with composers Gabriela Lena Frank & Theresa Wong

    Neck & shoulders stretching class

    Composers through the lens of precision & flexibility

    How to rehearse gnarly things

    Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

    Off the Page: Going Beyond the Notes

    Curious Chamber Music Minds

““The Del Sol [ChamberFest] was one of the best weekends I have had for years – great music, good friendships, an amazing concert by Del Sol, and we played our piece well. What more can you ask for? It was a fantastic experience, and I cannot wait to go back.””
— VIolinist


This program was made possible, in part, through the support of Associated Chamber Music Players. The mission of ACMP is to stimulate and expand the playing of chamber music for pleasure among musicians worldwide, of all backgrounds, ages and skill levels, by connecting people and supporting chamber music activities for individuals, groups and institutions. ACMP membership is FREE!