SHATTER The Verona Quartet

• Reena Esmail (b. 1983): String Quartet (Ragamala):
• 1 Esmail: String Quartet (Ragamala): I. Fantasie (Bihag) 09:23
• 2 Esmail: String Quartet (Ragamala): II. Scherzo (Malkauns) 04:37
• 3 Esmail: String Quartet (Ragamala): III. Recitative (Basant) 06:06
• 4 Esmail: String Quartet (Ragamala): IV. Rondo (Jōg) 06:20
• Julia Adolphe (b. 1988): Star-Crossed Signals:
• 5 Adolphe: Star-Crossed Signals: I. Delta X-ray 08:13
• 6 Adolphe: Star-Crossed Signals: II. Kilo Kilo 07:41
• Michael Gilbertson (b. 1987): Quartet:
• 7 Gilbertson: Quartet: I. Mother Chords 10:05
• 8 Gilbertson: Quartet: II. Simple Sugars 05:07
• Total Runtime 57:32

Info for SHATTER

The Verona Quartet presents SHATTER, an album that invokes the act of breaking the glass ceiling through exploration of cultural identity, interpersonal communication, and the struggle to overcome invisible barriers. Featuring world-premiere recordings of music by American composers Reena Esmail, Julia Adolphe, and Michael Gilbertson, as well as a collaboration with prize-winning Hindustani singer Saili Oak, this consortium of artists celebrates the creative diversity that flourishes within the American musical landscape.

The Verona Quartet

The Verona Quartet
Acclaimed for its “bold interpretive strength, robust characterization and commanding resonance” (Calgary Herald), the Verona Quartet has firmly established itself amongst the most distinguished ensembles on the chamber music scene today. The group’s singular sense of purpose most recently earned them Chamber Music America’s coveted 2020 Cleveland Quartet Award, and a reputation as an “outstanding ensemble… cohesive yet full of temperament” (The New York Times). The Quartet serves on the faculty of the Oberlin College and Conservatory as the Quartet-in-Residence, in addition to holding residences at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, Indiana University Summer String Academy and North Carolina’s Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle.

The Verona Quartet has appeared across four continents, enchanting audiences at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City), Kennedy Center, Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.), Jordan Hall (Boston), Wigmore Hall (U.K.) and Melbourne Recital Hall (Australia), and has performed at festivals including La Jolla Summerfest, Chamber Music Northwest, Caramoor, Alpenglow, and Bravo! Vail, and with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The quartet curates the UpClose Chamber Music Series under the auspices of the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, bringing the visceral energy of classical music to diverse audiences in venues ranging from concert halls to craft breweries, and unlocking the secrets of the music through the “intimate way they communicate with each other and the audience” (The Arts Fuse, Boston).

A string quartet for the 21st century, the Verona Quartet champions the rich breadth of the string quartet repertoire from the time-honored canon through contemporary classics. Notable commissions and premieres include works by composers Julia Adolphe, Sebastian Currier, Corey Dundee, Texu Kim, as well as Michael Gilbertson’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated Quartet.

In addition to advocating contemporary music, the quartet strives for a dynamic, imaginative approach to collaboration and programming that champions cross-cultural and interdisciplinary enterprises. Such recent projects include a live-performance art installation with artist Ana Prvački, performances with dancers from Brooklyn’s Dance Heginbotham, artistic exchanges with traditional Emirati poets in the UAE, and a collaboration with GRAMMY-winning folk trio I’m With Her.

Drawing from the mentorship of the esteemed Cleveland, Juilliard and Pacifica Quartets, the Verona Quartet’s rapid rise to international prominence was fueled by top prize wins at the Wigmore Hall, Melbourne, M-Prize and Osaka International Chamber Music Competitions, as well as the 2015 Concert Artists Guild Competition. Their debut album, Diffusion—featuring the quartets of Janacek, Ravel and Szymanowski—will be released on Azica Records in the summer of 2021. Their second album, SHATTER, will showcase the works of American composers Julia Adolphe, Michael Gilbertson and Reena Esmail, in collaboration with Hindustani vocalist Saili Oak.

The ensemble’s “thoughtful, impressive” (Cleveland Classical) performances emanate from the spirit of storytelling; the Quartet believes that this transcends genre and therefore the name "Verona" pays tribute to William Shakespeare, one of the greatest storytellers of all time.

This album contains no booklet.