School of Music's Dalí Quartet Honored with Award
West Chester University’s Wells School of Music’s quartet-in-residence, the Dalí Quartet, will be honored with the prestigious Aspire Award on Saturday, November 23 at 4 p.m. in Atlanta’s Symphony Hall. The quartet will accept the award at the orchestra’s annual Fall Musicale and Aspire Awards ceremony and will perform an original work by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra violinist, Juan Ramírez, at the concert.
The Aspire Award is presented annually by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program to recognize accomplished professional African American and Latino musicians who demonstrate commitment to community and inclusiveness. Past recipients include The Imani Winds, The Ritz Chamber Players, trombonist for the MET Orchestra, Weston Sprott, principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic, Anthony McGill, the former principal harpist for the Boston Symphony, Ann Hobson Pilot, and conductor Chelsea Tipton.
“We're incredibly honored by this recognition,” says Carlos Rubio, second violinist for Dalí Quartet. “To be recognized by our peers and in the same company as the very talented artists who were recognized with this award before us is a hugely affirming.”
The Dalí Quartet performs a signature mix of Latin American, Classical and Romantic repertoire on stages and for audiences of all kinds. The quartet’s passionate energy is poured into everything they do, generating critical and audience acclaim for their Classical Roots, Latin Soul. Its tours include appearances for distinguished chamber music and cultural center series in the U.S., Canada and South America, including New York, Philadelphia and Toronto.
Members of the Dalí Quartet are from Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the US, and have studied at esteemed institutions such as the Cleveland Institute of Music, Yale University, Indiana University Bloomington and the Simón Bolivar Conservatory in Caracas, Venezuela.
In addition to works of the masters from Haydn to Brahms and Amaya to Piazzolla, the group's adventurous and entertaining programming includes new works for quartet with percussionist Orlando Cotto, and quintets both Latin and Classical with the renowned clarinetist Ricardo Morales, principal clarinetist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and with acclaimed pianist Vanessa Perez.
The quartet’s International Music Festival is an admired chamber music and orchestral program. Founded in 2004, it develops the performance skills of young musicians through the semi-professional level.