Del Sol Performing Arts Organization

Concert performances: in 2023 the Del Sol string quartet performed 48 concerts (with 8 world premieres), continuing to bring adventurous new chamber music to the public. These included local concerts in san francisco and the bay area, as well as national and international touring concerts. Highlights of Del Sol's 2023 concerts include: 1)four touring performances in new and expanded productions of huang ruo's "angel island - oratorio" for string quartet & choir during may: one in Washington, dc at the smithsonian's national museum of asian art, with the us air force band's singing sergeants; and three in asia at the 2023 singapore international festival of Arts, with the tapei chamber singers. This powerful piece, which Del Sol premiered in 2021, explores our nation's discriminatory immigration history through the poems carved by chinese immigrants into the barracks walls while detained on angel island during the years of the chinese exclusion act. 2)world premiere performances in october of "the resonance between," a new work of ensemble pieces for the combination of western string quartet and traditional indian instruments (sarode, sitar & tabla). Co-composed by acclaimed north indian musicians alam khan and arjun verma with cross- cultural composer jack perla, the work fuses these two musical genres while exploring the multi-cultural experience. Del Sol and their collaborators premiered the work in two sold-out concerts at the presidio theatre in the presidio national park, san francisco. 3)presentation of "the jingwei bird," a collaboration with the last hoisan poets exploring the impacts of climate change on the ocean. The program weaves new music by asian american composers, including two works commissioned by Del Sol, with bilingual poetry, storytelling and mythology to deepen our relationship with the nature around us. Performances took place in august and october at outdoor sites along san francisco bay, and an indoor performance for elders was held at a community health center in san francisco's chinatown.

Commissioning of composers: in 2023, Del Sol commissioned two new works from bay area composer erika oba, in connection with "the jingwei bird" project; and a new work by a santa fe, nm composer for the "joy project," our ongoing series of free, outdoor community concerts featuring new, short string quartet pieces written for Del Sol. Also in 2023, Del Sol's 2021 commissioning of composer derek david culminated in its world premiere (see section 4b, paragraph 4b above); and composer michael gilberson delivered the final score and parts for his new work; commissioned by Del Sol in 2022.

Educational outreach: in 2023, Del Sol's significant educational outreach activities included: 1) coaching adult amateur musicians in chamber music performance at chamberfest, Del Sol's annual weekend workshop in san francisco in january, and at a weeklong program in july at scripps college in claremont, ca, presented by socal chamber music workshop; 2) two university residencies-one in march at Massachusetts institute of technology (mit) in cambridge, ma, including lectures, reading of new compositions by students, and a world premiere performance of a new piece for string quartet & clarinet by derek david at the boston festival of new jewish music; and the other in april at university of ca, santa cruz, Performing new compositions by graduate students; 3) performances, workshops, and talks at several other educational institutions; and 4) continuing our composer incubator program, mentoring early-career composers and developing their new works for future premieres by Del Sol.

Recordings: in 2023, Del Sol's recordings included the following significant activities: 1) in september, Del Sol and north indian musicians alam khan and arjun verma, released "the resonance between," a collaborative album of new ensemble works for string quartet and traditional instruments (sarode, sitar, and tabla), leading up to the live world premiere performances of the works in october (see section 4a, paragraph 2 above); and 2) in november, Del Sol entered into an agreement with a consultant to produce and release in 2024 a 4-part podcast about the history and creative process of Del Sol's angel island project in collaboration with composer huang ruo. (see section 4a, paragraph 1 above).