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 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 is now available. Apply today!

APPLY now

Chamberfest Tuition - via cc - $388

Chamberfest Donation $20.00-$400.00

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.)
2025 dates: January 25-26, 2024
2025 Application – apply now! (due by December 2, 2024)
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, 2025.
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.
Dates & Times: Saturday January 25 (9AM-7:30PM) & Sunday January 26 (9AM-4PM)
Location: Outer Richmond, San Francisco, CA.
Cost: 2025 Tuition is $375/weekend including food. Credit card payments will be charged the processing fee of 3.5% for a fee of $388. 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 6, 2025. 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.
2025: We'll explore the vocal quality of string writing with composer Shane Cook who currently is based in Boonville, working in collaboration with the Gabriela Lena Frank Academy of Music. Del Sol will present a new string quartet and his other works are available for participants to play.
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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 25
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 with Shane Cook
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 26
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!