Verona Quartet Releases Debut Album DIFFUSION

The Verona Quartet has released its debut album, Diffusion, on Azica Records. Through the intimate voice of the string quartet, Diffusion explores a mosaic of folk cultures through the lens Janáček's String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters," Szymanowski's String Quartet No. 2 Op. 56, and Ravel's String Quartet in F Major M. 35. As an ensemble of four nations (Singapore, Canada, United States, and United Kingdom), the Verona Quartet reveals a kaleidoscopic snapshot of cultural migration at the turn of the century.

The Verona Quartet explains, "As a quartet of musicians hailing from across the world, we knew we wanted our first album to reflect the essence of the cultural migration that is such a big part of our identity. Through Diffusion, we celebrate the spirit of intercultural exploration that permeates many of the great works of the string quartet canon. This music and the weaving together of global traditions is incredibly meaningful to us and we hope that listeners will love it too."

About the Verona Quartet

Delicate craftsmanship, luminous sound, and a dramatic poise are all hallmarks of the virtuosity that fuses together violinists Jonathan Ong, Dorothy Ro, violist Abigail Rojansky, and cellist Jonathan Dormand to create the Verona Quartet. The group's singular sense of purpose earned them Chamber Music America's coveted Cleveland Quartet Award 2020, and a reputation as an "outstanding ensemble... cohesive yet full of temperament." (The New York Times) Deeply committed educators, the Verona Quartet serves as Quartet-in-Residence at the Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio.

A string quartet for the 21st Century, the Verona Quartet champions the storied history of the string quartet alongside music that reflects the current world in which we live, including works commissioned and written for them by composers Julia Adolphe, Sebastian Currier, Corey Dundee, Texu Kim and Michael Gilbertson. The quartet has cultivated a dynamic approach to collaboration and programming that includes cross-cultural and interdisciplinary enterprises. Recent projects feature performances with dancers from Brooklyn's Dance Heginbotham, artistic exchanges with traditional Emirati poets in the UAE, and collaborations with GRAMMY-winning folk supergroup I'm With Her.

The Verona Quartet has appeared across four continents enchanting audiences at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall and Melbourne Recital Hall, in addition to appearing at festivals including La Jolla Summerfest, Chamber Music Northwest, Caramoor, Bravo! Vail, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. As Ensemble-in-Residence with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle in North Carolina, the quartet curates the UpClose Chamber Music Series, bringing the visceral energy of classical music to diverse audiences in venues ranging from concert halls to craft breweries.

In addition to their Oberlin residency, the Verona Quartet holds residency positions at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia) and the Indiana University Summer String Academy (Bloomington, IN). Each year, reaching thousands of people, the Verona Quartet's community and educational workshops inspire new listeners and performers through the joys of chamber music.

The Verona Quartet rose to international prominence after rapidly sweeping top prizes at the Wigmore Hall, Melbourne, Osaka, M-Prize International Chamber Music Competitions, and the Concert Artists Guild Competition.

The ensemble's "thoughtful, impressive" (Cleveland Classical) performances emanate from the spirit of storytelling; the Quartet believes that the essence of storytelling transcends genre and therefore the name "Verona" pays tribute to William Shakespeare, one of the greatest storytellers of all time. Learn more at www.veronaquartet.com.

Diffusion Track List

Leoš Janáček - String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters"
1. I. Andante [5:58]
2. II. Adagio [5:53]
3. III. Moderato [5:24]
4. IV. Allegro [8:04]

Karol Szymanowski - String Quartet No. 2, Op. 56
5. I. Moderato dolce e tranquillo [7:18]
6. II. Vivace, scherzando [4:55]
7. III. Lento [5:33]

Maurice Ravel - String Quartet in F Major, M. 35
8. I. Allegro moderato - très doux [7:58]
9. II. Assez vif - très rythmé [6:09]
10. III. Très lent [8:32]
11. IV. Vif et agité [4:52]

ACD-71339
Producer: Alan Bise
Recording Engineer: Bruce Egre
Digital Editor: Alan Bise
Graphic Design: David Foarde
Recorded October 10-12, 2019 at Sauder Concert Hall at Goshen College

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