Cypress String Quartet
with cellist Gary Hoffman

performs at the Whitaker Center
presented by Market Square Concerts

Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 8pm

222 Market Street | Harrisburg, PA
Tickets: Adults $30; Seniors $25; Students $5
at 717.214.ARTS or at www.whitakercenter.org

Program:
Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major
Elena Ruehr’s String Quartet No. 5, Bel Canto
Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major, D. 956

Cypress Quartet online: www.cypressquartet.com | www.youtube.com/cypressquartet

“beautifully proportioned and powerful” – The Washington Post

Harrisburg, PA –The Cypress String Quartet (Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello) described by Time Out New York as the “lauded San Francisco foursome” will perform on April 28, 2012 at 8pm with cellist Gary Hoffman at the Whitaker Center (222 Market Street), presented by Market Square Concerts. The program includes Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major; Elena Ruehr’s String Quartet No. 5, Bel Canto, commissioned by the quartet; and Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major, D. 956.

The Cypress Quartet commissioned Elena Ruehr’s Bel Canto as part of their innovative Call & Response program. Inspired by Ann Patchett’s novel, Ms. Ruehr writes, “I had read Bel Canto by Ann Patchett when it was published about 10 years ago and was immediately drawn in. Since it depicts the drama of opera – the main character is an opera singer and the plot involves a copious amount of music and music-making – I had it in mind ever since as a possible inspirational source. The Cypress knows that I always travel with a big novel, and in fact, I read for at least an hour every day – it's one of my great pleasures. This string quartet, the Bel Canto, combines my greatest loves: the modern novel, gorgeous songs from the 19th and 20th centuries, and my favorite string quartet, the Cypress.”

The Cypress is pleased to perform with Gary Hoffman in Harrisburg. Cellist Jennifer Kloetzel says, “Gary Hoffman is not only one of the greatest living cellists, he's also one of the world's greatest musicians. We are very excited about this collaboration. I am especially thrilled, since I performed my very first Schubert Quintet with Gary years ago as a 'Rising Star' at the Caramoor Festival.” Hoffman achieved international renown following his victory as the first North American to win the Rostropovich International Cello Competition in Paris in 1986 and has since appeared as soloist with some of the world's leading orchestras, including those of London, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, and San Francisco.

The Cypress String Quartet, which is celebrating its 15^th anniversary season, was formed in San Francisco in 1996, and during its initial rehearsals the group created a signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach’s Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately. The Cypress continues to maintain a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival.

This season the Cypress String Quartet has added two more new recordings to its ten-album discography. In November, the Quartet released The American Album, which includes Barber’s Quartet Op. 11, Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes, and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12, “American.” In March, the Cypress completed its three-CD set of Beethoven’s Late Quartets. The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes, “The Cypress players converse with such rare sincerity as to make long-familiar music sound utterly fresh.” (Review copies available upon request.)

For 30 years, Market Square Concerts has been dedicated to the presentation of a wide repertoire of chamber music performed by distinguished professional artists, both established and emerging, and to the education and engagement of the general public in chamber music as an art form. With an annual summer festival and six concerts in the regular season, Market Square Concerts presents premieres of newly composed music as well as the monumental works from the most revered composer from the past and present. For more information, please visit www.marketsquareconcerts.org.

More about the Cypress String Quartet: The Cypress String Quartet was formed in San Francisco in 1996, and during its initial rehearsals the group created a signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach’s Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately.

The Cypress continues to maintain a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival. Their collaborators include artists such as Leon Fleisher, Jon Nakamatsu, Awadagin Pratt, Gary Hoffman, Atar Arad, James Dunham, and Zuill Bailey. The ensemble is a vibrant member of the San Francisco arts community and dedicates itself to reflecting and enriching the city’s cultural landscape through collaborations with the DeYoung Museum and San Francisco Girls Chorus.

Through its signature Call & Response program the Cypress Quartet commissions and premieres new string quartets from both emerging and celebrated composers, asking them to write in response to established chamber repertoire. Call & Response creates a dynamic dialogue between the past and present, between performers and composers, and among audiences of all ages. The Cypress Quartet’s annual Call & Response concert at Herbst Theatre has earned a strong West Coast following; this major concert is preceded by performances throughout the Bay Area in community centers, unorthodox spaces, and schools. In addition, the Cypress frequently tours Call & Response repertoire, bringing these new works to cities across the country.

To date, the Cypress Quartet has commissioned and premiered over 30 pieces, four of which were chosen for Chamber Music America’s list of “101 Great American Ensemble Works.” Commissioned composers include Philippe Hersant, Benjamin Lees, Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts, George Tsontakis, and Elena Ruehr.

The Cypress Quartet members received degrees from many of the world’s finest conservatories before coming together as a quartet. These include The Juilliard School, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music (London), The Cleveland Institute of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After a residency at the Banff Centre and a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies of the Aspen Music Festival, the Quartet coached intensively in London with the Amadeus Quartet.  Cypress members count the Cleveland and Juilliard Quartets as some of their greatest influences.

The members of the Cypress Quartet play exceptional instruments including violins by Antonio Stradivarius (1681) and Carlos Bergonzi (1733), a viola by Vittorio Bellarosa (1947), and a cello by Hieronymus Amati II (1701). The Cypress Quartet takes its name from the set of twelve love songs for string quartet, The Cypresses, by Antonin Dvořák.

About Gary Hoffman: Gary Hoffman combines instrumental mastery, great beauty of sound, and a poetic sensibility in his distinctive and memorable performances. Hoffman achieved international renown following his victory as the first North American to win the Rostropovich International Cello Competition in Paris in 1986. He has appeared as soloist with the world's leading orchestras, including those of Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, London, Montréal, Toronto, and San Francisco, collaborating with such celebrated conductors as André Previn, Charles Dutoit, James Levine, Kent Nagano, Mstislav Rostropovich, Sir Andrew Davis, and Herbert Blomstedt.

He is a frequent guest of string quartets including the Emerson, Tokyo, Borromeo, Brentano, and Ysaye quartets and is an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He appears each season with this esteemed ensemble. Other collaborations have included his duo recital performances with pianist Philippe Bianconi, programs of the Beethoven piano/cello sonatas with pianist André-Michel Schub at the Virginia Beach Festival and La Jolla Chamber Music Society, and performances of Brahms quartets with pianist Leon Fleisher and violinists Cho-Liang Lin and Daniel Phillips. For more information, visit http://www.barrettvantage.com/artist.php?id=ghoffman&aview=bio.

# # #

NEIGHBORHOOD CLASSICS
Simone Dinnerstein, Artistic Director

presents
Cypress String Quartet
Music by Haydn, Glazunov and Dvořák

Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 7pm
PS 142 Auditorium
100 Attorney St. | New York, NY
Tickets: $15 at www.neighborhoodclassics.com
or at the door

Cypress Quartet: www.cypressquartet.com | Watch the Quartet: www.youtube.com/cypressquartet

Additional Neighborhood Classics concerts: June 3, 2pm: Face the Music at PS 321 (180 7th Ave., Bklyn)

All ticket sales benefit the school’s programs.

New York, NY– The Neighborhood Classics concert series at public schools in New York continues with a performance by the Cypress String Quartet (Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello), described by Time Out New York as the “lauded San Francisco foursome,” on Thursday, April 26 at 7pm at PS 142’s Auditorium (100 Attorney Street, NYC). The Quartet’s program will include music by Haydn, Glazunov, and Dvořák. Neighborhood Classics founder and Artistic Director Simone Dinnerstein will host the hour-long, family-friendly concert. Ticket sales benefit PS 142.

The Cypress String Quartet, which is celebrating its 15^th anniversary season, was formed in San Francisco in 1996, and during its initial rehearsals the group created a signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach’s Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately. The Cypress continues to maintain a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival.

This season the Cypress String Quartet has added two more new recordings to its ten-album discography. In November, the Quartet released The American Album, which includes Barber’s Quartet Op. 11, Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes, and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12, “American.” In March, the Cypress completed its three-CD set of Beethoven’s Late Quartets. The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes, “The Cypress players converse with such rare sincerity as to make long-familiar music sound utterly fresh.” (Review copies available upon request.)

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein founded the Neighborhood Classics series at PS 321, the school that her son attends and where her husband teaches, in 2009 and at Manhattan’s PS 142 in 2010 in an effort to build relationships at a local level between neighborhoods and musicians. These one-hour, family-friendly performances, which are hosted by Dinnerstein and feature musicians she has admired and collaborated with during her career, are open to the public and raise funds for the schools. The musicians performing donate their time and talent to the program, and the concerts are organized and administered by PTA volunteers and faculty members. Neighborhood Classics has already raised enough funds to bring back the fourth grade band program at PS 142. At PS 321, proceeds benefit the school’s PTA, which helps to fund art, chess, band, and chorus programs.

“This concert series is about bringing communities together around music,” explains Ms. Dinnerstein. “It is a way for students, parents, teachers and neighbors to gather in a familiar and comfortable setting to listen to great music.”

The 2011-2012 Neighborhood Classics season concludes at PS 321 on Sunday, June 3 at 2pm with a performance by the stunning teenage new music stars, Face the Music.

# # #

Cypress String Quartet
Celebrating 15 Years Together

Presents Call & Response 2012
MASTERS: Tradition, Rebellion and Innovation

featuring the world premiere of Philippe Hersant’s String Quartet No. 3 written in response to quartets by Haydn (Op. 20 No. 1) and Beethoven (Op. 127)

“artistry of uncommon insight and cohesion”
– Gramophone on the Cypress Quartet

Friday, March 16, 2012 at 8pm
Herbst Theatre | 401 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA


Tickets: $35 in advance/$40 at the door & $20 for students at www.cypressquartet.com/special-projects/call-response or 415.392.4400

**Album Release: The Complete Beethoven Late Quartets, a 3-CD set, on March 6**

Cypress Quartet online: www.cypressquartet.com | www.youtube.com/cypressquartet

San Francisco, CA – The Cypress String Quartet (Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello) presents Call & Response 2012 on Friday, March 16 at 8pm at Herbst Theatre (401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco). This year’s commissionee is French composer Philippe Hersant, who has written his String Quartet No. 3 in response to Haydn’s beloved String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20, No. 1 and Beethoven’s monumental String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127 (a recording of which the Cypress will release as part of their 3-CD Beethoven Box Set on March 6). A pre-concert talk with Hersant will begin at 7:15pm. In addition, the Cypress will give free, preview performances of music from the concert on Saturday, March 3 at 11am at the Community Music Center (544 Capp St., San Francisco) and on Friday, March 9 at 6pm at the Mercury Café (201 Octavia St., San Francisco). Visit www.cypressquartet.com/special-projects/call-response for updates.

This is the first string quartet Philippe Hersant has written in over 20 years. Of his work, cellist Jennifer Kloetzel said, “We were collectively amazed. Aside from the incredible sonorities and textures, there are haunting melodies and a dark, mystical beauty. This is powerful and moving music.”

Of his new piece, Hersant writes: “The Quartet begins with a slow movement (Elégie), followed by a brief Scherzo (Fantaisie), and concludes with a long movement (Rhapsodie), bright and colorful. Each of the instruments are called upon in a ‘concertante spirit,’ each are asked to perform solo and tutti portions; I even wrote, just before the coda, a sort of cadenza in which the four instruments, particularly the two violins, rival each other in virtuosity.”

Now celebrating its 15^th anniversary season, the Cypress has been described as possessing “artistry of uncommon insight and cohesion” by Gramophone, and their sound has been described as “beautifully proportioned and powerful” by The Washington Post. Through its signature Call & Response program the quartet commissions and premieres new string quartets from both emerging and celebrated composers, asking them to write in response to established chamber repertoire. Call & Response creates a dynamic dialogue between the past and present, between performers and composers, and among audiences of all ages.

The Cypress Quartet’s Call & Response concert (now in its 13^th year) at Herbst Theatre has earned a strong West Coast following. In addition, the Cypress frequently tours Call & Response repertoire, bringing these new works to cities across the country. Locally, this year the Cypress will give workshops on music from the Call & Response concert at 15 Bay Area schools during February and March. Schools participating include: Miller Creek Middle School, Tamalpais High School, Edna Brewer Middle School, Westlake Middle School, Thornhill Elementary School, Aragon High School, Longfellow Middle School, Lowell High School, Berkeley High School, Corpus Christi Elementary School, Piedmont Schools, Mill Valley Middle School, Novato Charter School, University High School, and Holy Names University Youth Orchestra.

Strongly committed to expanding the music written for string quartet, to date the Cypress Quartet has commissioned and premiered over 30 pieces, four of which were chosen for Chamber Music America’s list of “101 Great American Ensemble Works.” Commissioned composers include Benjamin Lees, Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts, George Tsontakis, and Elena Ruehr.

This season, the Cypress String Quartet is adding two new recordings to its ten-album discography. On November 8, the Quartet released The American Album, which includes Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 (“American”), Charles Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes, and Barber’s Quartet, Op. 11. In March, the Cypress completes its three-volume set of Beethoven’s Late Quartets. Volume three will include the groundbreaking Opus 132 along with Op. 127. Of volume one, released in 2009, the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote, “The Cypress players converse with such rare sincerity as to make long-familiar music sound utterly fresh.” The second disc, proved again that “The Cypress players tie the threads together seamlessly and immaculately” (Fanfare Magazine). The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported, “The performances are masterly: technically assured and lucidly conversational. After this, one can hardly wait for the third and final release.” (Review copies available upon request)

About Philippe Hersant: Born in 1948 in Rome, Philippe Hersant studied music at the Paris Conservatory, notably in the composition class of André Jolivet, before residing at the Casa Velasquez from 1970 to 1972 and then at the Villa Medici from 1978 to 1980. Since 1973 he has been a producer for radio broadcasts with France Musique.

After completing his music studies around 1970, Philippe Hersant set aside for himself a decade in which to find his own language. His patient maturation had more to do with books and words than the exclusive study of his art – with the exception of many kinds of non-European types of music. An avid reader (he has a degree in letters) and also a lover of the cinema, he has drawn on the most varied literary sources (James Joyce, the German Romantics and many poets from Asia and the Far East) and also cinematographic sources (he declares a particular predilection for Fellini and for the eminent position the latter assigns to memory).

With a varied catalogue of around ninety pieces (not counting his scores for the cinema and the theatre), Philippe Hersant has achieved broad recognition on the contemporary music scene. He has received commissions from such illustrious institutions as the French Ministry of Culture, Radio France (Le Château des Carpathes, in 1991, Trio, Violin Concerto; not forgetting that he was the featured guest of the festival Présences in 2004), Paris Opera (the ballet Wuthering Heights, in 2002) Leipzig Opera (the opera Le Moine noir, in 2006), the Orchestre National de Lyon (Streams, in 2000). In addition, the musical world has awarded him many distinctions: Grand Prix Musical de la Ville de Paris (1990), Composers’ Prize from the SACEM (1991), Grand Prix SACEM for symphonic music (1998), Grand Prix of the Del Duca Foundation (2001), and two Music Awards  (Victoires de la Musique) in 2005 and 2010.

About the Cypress String Quartet: The Cypress continues to maintain a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival. Their collaborators include artists such as Leon Fleisher, Jon Nakamatsu, Awadagin Pratt, Gary Hoffman, Atar Arad, James Dunham, and Zuill Bailey. The ensemble is a vibrant member of the San Francisco arts community and dedicates itself to reflecting and enriching the city’s cultural landscape through collaborations with the DeYoung Museum and San Francisco Girls Chorus.

The Cypress Quartet members received degrees from many of the world’s finest conservatories before coming together as a quartet. These include The Juilliard School, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music (London), The Cleveland Institute of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After a residency at the Banff Centre and a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies of the Aspen Music Festival, the Quartet coached intensively in London with the Amadeus Quartet.  Cypress members count the Cleveland and Juilliard Quartets as some of their greatest influences.

The members of the Cypress Quartet play exceptional instruments including violins by Antonio Stradivarius (1681) and Carlos Bergonzi (1733), a viola by Vittorio Bellarosa (1947), and a cello by Hieronymus Amati II (1701). The Cypress Quartet takes its name from the set of twelve love songs for string quartet, The Cypresses, by Antonin Dvořák.

# # #

Cypress String Quartet
The Complete Beethoven Late Quartets
Three-CD Box Set

Celebrating the Cypress’ 15th Anniversary
Release date: Tuesday, March 6, 2012

***Hi-res Audiophile Quality***
Press Download – Complete Set
www.cypressquartet.com/BLSQ
Password:

###

Cypress String Quartet
Gives Two Concerts in Washington

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 7:30pm

# # #

Cypress String Quartet
15 Anniversary Celebration for 2011-2012

Salon Series:
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 8pm
Pearson Theater at Meyer Sound, Berkeley, CA

Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 8pm
12 Gallagher Lane Gallery, San Francisco, CA

For these intimate evenings,
Chatom Vineyards wine and Poco Dolce chocolate
will be served after the performances

Single tickets: $50 at 415.392.4400 or
visit www.cityboxoffice.com
Seating is limited to ensure a truly intimate experience

Cypress Quartet online: www.cypressquartet.com
www.youtube.com/cypressquartet

“beautifully proportioned and powerful” – The Washington Post
Chatom Vineyards wine: www.chatomvineyards.com | Poco Dolce chocolate: www.pocodolce.com

# # #

Cypress String Quartet
Performs at the University of Oregon
with pianist Jon Nakamatsu

Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 76, No. 4, “Sunrise”
Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 95
Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34

Beall Concert Hall
The University of Oregon School of Music and Dance
1225 University of Oregon, Eugene | OR

Tickets: Adults starting at $17; Students $10
at 541.682.5000 or http://music.uoregon.edu/cmb

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 3pm

Cypress Quartet online: www.cypressquartet.com | www.youtube.com/cypressquartet
Jon Nakamatsu online: www.jonnakamatsu.com

# # #

Cypress String Quartet
15th Anniversary Celebration for 2011-2012

Salon Series (at 8pm):
November 11, 2011 | February 3, 2012 | April 20, 2012
Pearson Theater at Meyer Sound, Berkeley, CA

November 12, 2011 | February 4, 2012 | April 21, 2012
12 Gallagher Lane Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Annual Call & Response Concert:
Featuring new work by French composer Philippe Hersant
Friday, March 16, 2012 at 8pm
Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA

For ticket information, visit www.cityboxoffice.com or call 415.585.9045

Cypress Quartet online: www.cypressquartet.com
www.youtube.com/cypressquartet

“beautifully proportioned and powerful” – The Washington Post

The 15th Anniversary Album | Release date: October 4, 2011
***Download Full High Resolution Album Audio***
For review copies, contact Christina Jensen PR at 646.536.7864 or canelle@christinajensenpr.com

San Francisco, CA –The Cypress String Quartet (Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello) described by Time Out New York as the “lauded San Francisco foursome” will celebrate its 15^th anniversary season in 2011-2012 by presenting a Salon Series showcasing their artistry and inspired music making in three of their favorite concert programs. Including pieces by Barber, Griffes, Dvořák, and Ravel as well as works by Jennifer Hidgon and Elena Ruehr, these concerts will be performed both at Pearson Theater at Meyer Sound in Berkeley, CA on November 11, February 3, and April 20, and at 12 Gallagher Lane Gallery in San Francisco, CA on November 12, February 4, and April 21. Also included in the anniversary celebration is the Cypress’ annual Call & Response concert at Herbst Theatre on Friday, March 16, 2012 featuring a new work by French composer Philippe Hersant.

The Salon Series programs include: Barber’s Quartet Op.11, Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes, and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12, “American” (Nov. 11 & 12 concerts); Schulhoff’s Five Pieces for String Quartet, Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, and Jennifer Higdon’s Impressions (Feb. 3 & 4 concerts); Glazunov’s Novelettes, Elena Ruehr’s Bel Canto, Dvořák’s Quartet in G Major Op.106 (April 20 & 21 concerts). This year’s Call & Response commissionee Philippe Hersant will compose a new piece inspired by Haydn’s String Quartet Op.20, No.1 and Beethoven’s String Quartet Op.127, No.12. (See schedule at the end of this release.)

Through its signature Call & Response program the Cypress Quartet commissions and premieres new string quartets from both emerging and celebrated composers, asking them to write in response to established chamber repertoire. Call & Response creates a dynamic dialogue between the past and present, between performers and composers, and among audiences of all ages. The Cypress Quartet’s annual Call & Response concert at Herbst Theatre has earned a strong West Coast following; this major concert is preceded by performances throughout the Bay Area in community centers, unorthodox spaces, and schools. In addition, the Cypress frequently tours Call & Response repertoire, bringing these new works to cities across the country.

In celebration of their anniversary, the Cypress Quartet releases The 15^th Anniversary Album on October 4, 2011 that includes reissued recordings of Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor (originally on Debussy, Suk & Cotton, CSQ 2005), Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, and Schulhoff’s Five Pieces for String Quartet (both originally on Haydn, Ravel & Schulhoff CSQ 2002). Review copies available upon request or visit http://cypressquartet.com/15thAnniversaryAlbum/  and enter username: preview and password: 15years

This season the Cypress String Quartet will also be adding two new recordings to its ten-album discography. On November 8, 2011 the Quartet releases The American Album, which includes the Salon Series’ November 11 and 12 program: Barber’s Quartet Op. 11, Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes, and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12, “American.” In March, the Cypress completes its three-volume set of Beethoven’s Late Quartets. Volume three will include the groundbreaking Opus 132. Of volume one, released in 2009, the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote, “The Cypress players converse with such rare sincerity as to make long-familiar music sound utterly fresh.”

The Cypress Quartet was formed in San Francisco in 1996, and during its initial rehearsals the group created a signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach’s Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately.

The Cypress continues to maintain a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival. Their collaborators include artists such as Leon Fleisher, Jon Nakamatsu, Awadagin Pratt, Gary Hoffman, Atar Arad, James Dunham, and Zuill Bailey. The ensemble is a vibrant member of the San Francisco arts community and dedicates itself to reflecting and enriching the city’s cultural landscape through collaborations with the DeYoung Museum and San Francisco Girls Chorus.

To date, the Cypress Quartet has commissioned and premiered over 30 pieces, four of which were chosen for Chamber Music America’s list of “101 Great American Ensemble Works.” Commissioned composers include Benjamin Lees, Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts, George Tsontakis, and Elena Ruehr.

The Cypress Quartet members received degrees from many of the world’s finest conservatories before coming together as a quartet. These include The Juilliard School, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music (London), The Cleveland Institute of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After a residency at the Banff Centre and a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies of the Aspen Music Festival, the Quartet coached intensively in London with the Amadeus Quartet.  Cypress members count the Cleveland and Juilliard Quartets as some of their greatest influences.

The members of the Cypress Quartet play exceptional instruments including violins by Antonio Stradivarius (1681) and Carlos Bergonzi (1733), a viola by Vittorio Bellarosa (1947), and a cello by Hieronymus Amati II (1701). The Cypress Quartet takes its name from the set of twelve love songs for string quartet, The Cypresses, by Antonin Dvořák.

Salon Series Concerts
Salon #1
November 11, 2011, at 8pm: Pearson Theater at Meyer Sound, 2832 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
November 12, 2011, at 8pm: 12 Gallagher Lane Gallery, San Francisco
Samuel Barber’s Quartet Op.11 
Charles Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes 
Antonin Dvořák’s Quartet No. 12, “American”

Salon #2 
February 3, 2012, at 8pm: Pearson Theater at Meyer Sound, 2832 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
February 4, 2012, at 8pm: 12 Gallagher Lane Gallery, San Francisco
Erwin Schulhoff’s Five Pieces for String Quartet 
Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major 
Jennifer Higdon’s Impressions 

Salon #3 
April 20, 2012, at 8pm: Pearson Theater at Meyer Sound, 2832 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
April 21, 2012, at 8pm: 12 Gallagher Lane Gallery, San Francisco
Alexander Glazunov’s Novelettes 
Elena Ruehr’s Bel Canto 
Antonin Dvořák’s Quartet in G Major Op.106

Single Tickets: $50; Subscription Tickets: $120 at www.cityboxoffice.com
For more information, visit www.cypressquartet.com/15thAnniversarySalonSeries.html or call 415.585.9045

Call & Response Concert
Friday, March 16, 2012 at 8pm: Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
World premiere piece by Philippe Hersant
Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20, No. 1
Beethoven’s String Quartet in E-flat Major Op. 127

Tickets: $40 at the door, $35 in advance, $20 students at www.cityboxoffice.com
For more information, visit www.cypressquartet.com/call&response.html or call 415.585.9045

# # #

Cypress String Quartet
The American Album
Music by Dvorák, Griffes, and Barber

Release date: November 8, 2011
***Download Full High Resolution Album Audio***
www.cypressquartet.com/AmericanAlbum

New York, NY – The Cypress String Quartet (Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello) is pleased to announce the release of its latest recording, The American Album, featuring music inspired by America. The new album will be available from all major retailers on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, through the Cypress’ own label. The American Album includes Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 (“American”), Charles Tomlinson Griffes’ Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes, and Samuel Barber’s String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 11.

With The American Album, the Cypress Quartet celebrates these composers’ efforts to define and develop an American sound. Dvořák wrote his String Quartet No. 12, nicknamed the “American,” in Spillville, Iowa in 1893 while visiting a small Czech farming community. Influenced by the music he encountered there, he incorporated Native American and African American themes into the work. Of his time in Spillville, Dvořák later said, “That’s when I was happy.”

Charles Tomlinson Griffes’ Two Sketches is based on two Native American songs. The members of the Cypress String Quartet have done a great deal of research on which songs Griffes used in his concert work. They spoke with an elder of the Chippewa tribe, and found that the first sketch is based on the “Chippewa Farewell Song,” and the second is part of a Hopi festival. Cypress cellist Jennifer Kloetzel explains further, “The farewell song may have been sung by the tribe’s warriors as they walked to war, and then sung by the tribe’s women and children as they walked back to the village from the battlefield.”

It is the second movement of Barber’s String Quartet with which the composer earned his greatest fame. The slow movement, marked Molto adagio, would become Adagio for Strings for orchestra after Barber expanded it for Arturo Toscanini to conduct. Aaron Copland’s belief that Adagio for Strings “comes straight from the heart” applies equally to the string quartet version. In his own words, Barber knew that the movement was “a knockout” as soon as he finished it.

During its fifteenth anniversary season in 2011-2012, the Cypress String Quartet is adding two new recordings to its ten-album discography. In addition to The American Album, in March the Cypress completes its three-volume set of Beethoven’s Late Quartets. Volume three will include the groundbreaking Opus 132. Of volume one, released in 2009, the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote, “The Cypress players converse with such rare sincerity as to make long-familiar music sound utterly fresh.”

Known for its elegant performances, the Cypress String Quartet has been praised by Gramophone for its “artistry of uncommon insight and cohesion,” and its sound has been called “beautifully proportioned and powerful” by The Washington Post. The Cypress Quartet was formed in San Francisco in 1996, and during its initial rehearsals the group created a signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach’s Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately.

The Cypress continues to maintain a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival. Their collaborators include artists such as Leon Fleisher, Jon Nakamatsu, Awadagin Pratt, Gary Hoffman, Atar Arad, James Dunham, and Zuill Bailey. The ensemble is a vibrant member of the San Francisco arts community and dedicates itself to reflecting and enriching the city’s cultural landscape through collaborations with the DeYoung Museum and San Francisco Girls Chorus.

Through its signature Call & Response program the Cypress Quartet commissions and premieres new string quartets from both emerging and celebrated composers, asking them to write in response to established chamber repertoire. Call & Response creates a dynamic dialogue between the past and present, between performers and composers, and among audiences of all ages. The Cypress Quartet’s annual Call & Response concert at Herbst Theatre has earned a strong West Coast following; this major concert is preceded by performances throughout the Bay Area in community centers, unorthodox spaces, and schools. In addition, the Cypress frequently tours Call & Response repertoire, bringing these new works to cities across the country.

To date, the Cypress Quartet has commissioned and premiered over 30 pieces, four of which were chosen for Chamber Music America’s list of “101 Great American Ensemble Works.” Commissioned composers include Benjamin Lees, Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts, George Tsontakis, and Elena Ruehr.

The Cypress Quartet members received degrees from many of the world’s finest conservatories before coming together as a quartet. These include The Juilliard School, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music (London), The Cleveland Institute of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After a residency at the Banff Centre and a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies of the Aspen Music Festival, the Quartet coached intensively in London with the Amadeus Quartet.  Cypress members count the Cleveland and Juilliard Quartets as some of their greatest influences.

The members of the Cypress Quartet play exceptional instruments including violins by Antonio Stradivarius (1681) and Carlos Bergonzi (1733), a viola by Vittorio Bellarosa (1947), and a cello by Hieronymus Amati II (1701). The Cypress Quartet takes its name from the set of twelve love songs for string quartet, The Cypresses, by Antonin Dvořák.

The Cypress Quartet is managed by Christina Daysog Concert Artists.

The American Album
Cypress String Quartet
Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello
Release date: November 8, 2011
Album Download (full high resolution audio): www.cypressquartet.com/AmericanAlbum (password: AmericanPreview)

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)
String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 “American”
1. Allegro ma non troppo [8:58]
2. Lento [6:19]
3. Molto vivace [3:43]
4. Vivace ma non troppo [5:26]

Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884–1920)
Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes
5. Lento e mesto [6:29]
6. Allegro giocoso [3:23]

Samuel Barber (1910–1981)
String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 11
7. Molto allegro e appassionato [7:45]
8. Molto adagio  [7:18]
9. Molto allegro (come prima) – Presto [2:14]

# # #