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One of the original goals when we started our quartet was to volunteer our time at senior living facilities and nursing homes – when we got good enough of course! Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, these opportunities were unavailable, and we focused our time on growing our repertoire, participating in competitions and playing at community events.
Recently, we got the opportunity to play at a senior living facility and while we were excited to finally get this chance, I couldn’t have imagined just how fulfilling it would be. We had performed at community fairs and events where people come and go but here, we had a captive audience of more than 45 people gathered in the facility’s “living room” (which by the way had amazing acoustics!). Piece after piece the applause reverberated throughout the room, the appreciation fueling our energy! After playing for more than 30 minutes, we played our last piece, the Mendelssohn String Quartet No. 2 in A. Minor Op. 13, which was the first time we had performed it. I looked out into the room hoping we still had a captive audience, and I was happy to see their engaged smiles. The highlight of our time at the facility was at the end of the performance when we spoke to many of the residents, several of whom were former professional musicians, Juilliard music students, jazz musicians and the like who were very complimentary and told us we were welcome back anytime! There are so many fulfilling and fun aspects to playing music and for me even more so playing as a quartet. But that day I experienced an entirely different delight, knowing that we “sparked” a little joy into their afternoon. Aarav Our quartet had the privilege to participate in the 38th Annual Young Musicians Concert on Thursday, May 5th. We played on stage in Alice Tully Hall, in a program that included nine amazing high school ensemble groups selected from around the tri-state area. The whole experience was surreal! CMS did an outstanding job of organizing the concert and everything that comes before this finale performance. And there is a lot that comes before this concert!
We read about this educational outreach program by CMS about a year and a half ago, in the middle of COVID. We were still a new quartet, getting comfortable playing as an ensemble. When I heard the video recordings of the past finale performers, I knew this was a serious competition. I was motivated to work hard and get our quartet ready for this event. The first step was to send in an audition video by mid-January. We had selected Dvorak’s “American” string quartet Mvmt 1 as our piece. We worked diligently on perfecting it to the best of our abilities. Along the way, we participated in a number of competitions/evaluations with this piece. Through our participation in ARTs Ed NJ’s Winter Festival we got detailed feedback from Ms. Ha Young Jung – bassist with the NJ Symphony Orchestra. The feedback was especially focused in the area of dynamics, which was super helpful. We also received solid feedback from the Coltman Competition and Music International Grand Prix judges, that helped us to fine tune our sound. We were fortunate to win Grand Prix and Second Place awards at Music-fest and Camerata Artists competitions that gave us the opportunity to perform this piece on stage at Carnegie Hall and the DiMenna Center in NYC. In early February, when we were informed of our selection for the Young Musicians NJ Regional Concert, I was ecstatic! By this time we had already gotten a lot of stage experience with our piece, I knew we were ready to show up and be competitive. A huge treat that CMS had in store for us was a coaching session with Jeffrey Myers, 1st Violinist with the Calidore String Quartet. From one of my previous blog entries, you may have read that we have actually played with the Calidore String Quartet on stage when they came to perform in Princeton! What a coincidence! The coaching with Mr. Myers was virtual. We set up for the zoom session in my living room and wore the t-shirts from our jam session with them in Princeton. Mr. Myers noticed it and was quite amused! It was a wonderful coaching where we got a number of tips on balance and interpretation. I wish it had been in person, but even with the limitation of lag in a zoom session, we were still able to learn a lot. CMS organizes four regional concerts as part of this program. The NJ Regional Concert at Bergen Academies in Hackensack was on March 16th. The school has a wonderful auditorium where we performed alongside five other groups from around NJ. CMS had arranged a full program run through as rehearsal just prior to the concert. This is a great way to make us all feel a bit more at ease and drop some of the performance jitters. I felt good about the way we played but was a bit nervous since all the other groups were so great too. We were informed of our selection for the finale performance at Alice Tully Hall in early April. That was a fabulous feeling! All our hard work and diligence was being recognized, and I was so grateful for that. Our school Orchestra Director, Mr. Oettle immediately requested the administration for a field trip and arranged for a bus, so our High School Orchestra students could attend the concert. CMS organized another coaching session for us. This time it was with Jeremy Berry, the violist of the Calidore String Quartet and it was in-person at the Lincoln Center. What a treat! It was the best coaching we have ever had. Mr. Berry was so passionate and gave us so many techniques and pointers that will help each of us, not only for this piece but for our playing in general too. He coached us for longer than the one hour allotted time and truly inspired us to keep at it. Then came the Big Day, May 5th! I left home at 6:15 am, fully dressed in concert attire to get to Lincoln Center for the pre-concert rehearsal at 8:15 am. While we didn’t get time to do a full run through on stage, we got a good feel for the Hall and warmed up nicely. We were second in the program order. I think it was our best performance of Dvorak “American” on stage! It felt very special to have our teacher, our coach Mr. Jones and so many friends in the audience. After we were done, I was fully relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful concert. I got to hear some pieces that I hadn’t heard before, they were all marvelous. There were many high school students in the audience and I am sure everyone had a great time. The Young Musicians Program by CMS is a wonderful initiative that exposes high school musicians to the world of chamber music. I found it to be a great experience from the start to the finale concert and I enjoyed every part of it! Thank you, CMS and The Calidore String Quartet! Hope to be back next year! Sanjay As a seventh grader, armed with my virtuoso of the NJMEA Regional piece, the Veracini Sonata in E Minor, I sent in a recording to audition for a Masterclass with the violin prodigy, David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. This opportunity was organized by my youth orchestra (YOCJ) which included many wonderful musicians. My mom prepared me that my chances of being picked were slim to none, so naturally I was shocked and ecstatic when the email of my selection arrived! I am pretty sure my excitement could compare with the musicians who are selected to be part of the Philadelphia Orchestra after many rounds of live audition.
As the day of the Masterclass arrived, my nervousness took over and I was a wreck. I was third in the program order. Looking around the large high school auditorium, filled with students and parents, I became overwhelmed and just wanted the night to be over. Cursing myself for auditioning, I was convinced that I was going to make a fool of myself. Maybe my Masterclass would be all about how not to play the violin. When the first student took the stage and played, listening to Mr. Kim’s words of encouragement and his really funny self-deprecating jokes, I found myself relaxing, no longer on edge. Mr. Kim was dressed very casually, so down to earth, and interacted with the audience not as the rockstar of the classical music world that he is, but as a nurturing teacher. I enjoyed my time on stage with him, learned a lot and basked in the many undeserved compliments he gave me! My respect for him has no limits, a wonderful person and a great role-model. This experience really motivated me to become more devoted to the violin. Fast forward three years and Mr. Kim was coming to be the soloist playing Beethoven Violin Concerto Op. 61 with my orchestra. Again, I was so happy to be selected as Principal Second Violinist for the concert. The experience with Mr. Kim at the rehearsal was just as I remembered him from three years ago, so calm, and full of encouragement of our youth orchestra and our conductors. The concert that night was amazing, I totally enjoyed myself playing behind him, so honored to share the stage with the maestro. Then came another opportunity for a Masterclass with David Kim last month. This time, with a lot of confidence as a sophomore in high school, I sent in a recording of the Haydn Violin Concerto in C Major for the audition and was thrilled to be selected. No longer stressed about being on stage with him, my only anxiety was to make him happy to give his time once again to coach me. I was last in the program order this time. Mr. Kim’s jokes were even funnier than the last time he came. Everyone was laughing and really enjoying the night. The audience was filled with my close friends in YOCJ over the years. They cheered me so warmly as I took the stage and Mr. Kim noticed! Then as I played, he said, “… you were my Principal Second at the concert weren’t you, I am a fan of yours. You’ve played for me before too!” My jaw fell to the floor. Mr. David Kim, the prodigy - he remembered me?!?! As I saw my parents beaming in the audience, I reminded myself that I wasn’t dreaming this up, and tried hard to keep my composure till my Masterclass was done. What a night, I will cherish this experience forever! I know I have been propped up by all my teachers, particularly Mr. Pugh and YOCJ, my family and my friends. I cannot thank everyone enough for giving me all these opportunities and allowing me the spotlight. With David Kim as my role model and the few moments with him on stage to inspire me, I move forward on my musical journey, rejuvenated, and committed to excellence! Sanjay With the vaccine roll-out in early 2021, it seemed like we were heading into a more normal year. While things were beginning to open up, musicians were still having a very tough time. Most indoor venues were still closed, and the five feet social distancing requirement was not really conducive to orchestras on stage! Ironically, in these difficult times, music was a great solace to many people. I too found more time and interest to practice my instrument and applied to a number of prestigious summer programs for expanding my skills. I also decided to complete a Music Theory course from the Berklee College of Music over the summer, to improve my understanding of musical compositions.
I was fortunate to be selected by audition, and attended the Philadelphia International Music Festival’s Solo Performance Preparation Program (PIMF SPPP) in June, Bard Conservatory’s Pre College Summer Music Academy in July and The Dali Quartet International Music Festival in August. Each camp was exceptional, unique and focused on different aspects of performance and taught me various techniques. It was a fabulous summer that I will always remember very fondly! At PIMF, the only residential camp, I had the greatest time. I met some amazing fellow students and received coaching from renowned violinists including Dara Morales and Phil Kates. The camp counselors were absolutely the best! The positive energy in the camp kept us all enthusiastically playing for an audience or practicing our instruments for over 7 hours every single day! I benefitted immensely, raising my level of play manyfold in this short duration. At the Bard Academy, which was a virtual experience, I had the opportunity to learn from Grigory Kalinovsky, Kobi Malkin and Adele Anthony. The intensity here was very high, and the teachers expected a very serious focus on learning. I found this camp very challenging, but having been through PIMF earlier, I was much better prepared to handle it. The excellent coaches were able to get my attention into finer aspects of my playing and that really opened my eyes to profound improvements I could make with minor tweaks. My favorite camp of the summer was the Dali Quartet International Music Festival. The Dali quartet members including Adriana Linares, Carlos Rubio, Ari Isaacman-Beck, and Jesus Morales were so approachable and friendly throughout the week I was there. I learned so much about playing in a string quartet from this experience that I could take back to my group immediately. The other campers with me were very cool and great musicians too. We had so much fun playing together! The concert at the end of camp was amazing. To think we could all perform at that level after just a week of coaching was unbelievable! All these experiences in 2021 really inspired me and helped propel me forward this year. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with artists who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of music. I try to remember this when I practice, especially channeling their words of advice for the right sound as I listen to myself play. Sanjay Every year Princeton University Concerts arranges a Chamber Jam with a visiting chamber group, inviting the community to participate on stage. One of the last concerts I attended before the pandemic shut everything down was in February 2020. The Calidore String Quartet performed “The Great Fugues”. They debuted a brand-new piece by Anna Clyne called Breathing Statues in between a Haydn and a Beethoven quartet in the fugal style. It was an amazing concert! But throughout the evening I was thinking about the Chamber Jam after the concert: going up on stage to play the 2nd Violin part of Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 18, No. 6 along with the Calidore String Quartet!
After the concert ended, we were called to pick up our instruments and get on stage. I took a spot in the second row with a good view of the 2nd violinist, Ryan Meehan. Just as I was about to set up my music on the stand, he turned towards me and said, “Any volunteers to sit next to me?” My first instinct was to look around. I didn’t see anyone budging, so I summoned all my courage and nodded at him. Imagine my excitement when Ryan Meehan called me over with a warm smile! As I took my seat to his left, he pointed to his iPad on our shared stand and said, “I can handle the music.” For the next half hour, about 20 of us on stage played the Beethoven String Quartet together. It was a magical experience for me that I will never forget. I got to chat with him after and told him about our quartet. He was very encouraging and signed our Calidore T-shirts too. Looking forward to the next Chamber Jam! Sanjay This week I attended a special concert in the Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University. It was my first indoor concert after a long time, and I was looking forward to it. The program titled Counterpoint in Motion by Alexi Kinney (violin) and Bridget Kibbey (harp) was incredible. I was seated on stage just ten feet away from the musicians, and could literally feel the vibrations from their instruments as well as the passion with which they played.
The pieces they chose for us were all fantastic. My favorite was the Sonata in G Minor by C. P. E. Bach. Influenced by his father’s style, C. P. E. Bach’s composition of all three movements was vibrant and inspiring. I also enjoyed Siete Canciones Populares Espanolas by Manuel De Falla. This inclusion of Spanish folk music really added a special flavor to the concert. When Alexi Kinney introduced The Night Time Suite by Joaquin Rodrigo as one his favorite works I was excited, however I think that piece is going to have to grow on me. It was a nice composition but had some weird and unexpected parts. What surprised me the most about the concert was the versatility of the harp. Under the spell of the amazing Bridget Kibbey, the richness of the sound at times as a keyboard, and at other times as a guitar was a pleasure to hear, especially from so close. Alexi Kinney played the violin so beautifully and moved to his music with so much energy and grace, making the concert all the more enjoyable. I was going to watch for his vibrato as that is something I am working to improve myself. While the style of the pieces he played required very little vibrato, I was astonished at how he made the notes ring through with so much vibrancy. I left the auditorium after the hour-long performance completely mesmerized and spellbound. Thank you Princeton University Concerts for bringing us such a wonderful close-up treat! Sanjay Dressed sort of semi-casually and playing outside in perfect weather at a fair this weekend was the most relaxed I have been compared to any of our other performances. We didn’t have an audience that sat in front of us listening attentively, but the applause that came from all around us after every piece made me smile. The loudest clapping I must admit was from our parents… :) We picked a combination of peppy and melodious pieces by Mozart, Hayden, Dvorak and a couple of contemporary songs arranged by the Vitamin String Quartet. It was very nice of the fair organizers to give us an opportunity to play for their crowd. We really appreciate their warm encouragement and words of approval after. Thankfully one of the other musicians at the fair allowed us to borrow his microphone and amplifier, otherwise we would have been drowned out. Lesson learned for the next outdoor event. I feel so lucky to be able to do what I love with my friends, and spark some joy around with our playing. Can’t wait for the next opportunity! Sanjay ASTACAP(A.K.A ASTA Certificate Advancement Program) is a test to determine the playing level of a student. The test consists of solo repertoire, etudes, and scales. With my private teacher Takuya Horiuchi, we decided I would try and take the test for level 6. Over 3 months I would learn the music I've selected to play for the evaluation. Solo piece: Concerto in C Major by Vanhal, Etude: Etude No.17 by Mazas, and various types of scales( A major, D-Flat major, C-melodic manor, E-harmonic and C-Chromatic). The ASTACAP exam wasn't to be taken lightly, I had to practice diligently and improve as much as I can. Everything but the etude had to be memorized making it more of a challenge.
I felt proud when the results came in on August 29th. My hard work over the past 3 months payed off. I got the highest marks the exam had to offer. On top of a certificate and a grade, I got comments that made me change how I was supposed to play solo pieces. From reading the comments, I learned to play with direction. I also got great comments on how even though I was aiming for a lower score, I got the highest score with honors distinction because I memorized a new cadenza composed by my own teacher. Overall, I found new ways to improve my playing and got to know how good I was. At first, the ASTACAP evaluation felt challenging knowing that I had basically 3 months to learn and memorize all these repertoire, but in the end it payed off and I got a great experience taking it. -Sasmit After 15 long months, I was excited to go in person for a concert again. It was a bonus at the end of a gruelling school week. The Momenta Quartet was performing in the beautiful Morven Garden in Princeton, NJ, a short ten minute drive from home. I had met the violist, Stephanie Griffin through YOCJ and was looking forward to hearing her quartet.
It was an interesting pandemic-era concert experience. We were seated on a patch of grass called a pod for two. We were socially distant and wore masks if we ventured outside of our pod. The program, which could be accessed via a displayed QR code (contactless), consisted of a nice opening of contrasting movements (Byrd’s Pavane and Galliard), a beautiful and lyrical piece by Florence Price (String Quartet in G Major, 2nd Mvmt), a wistful contemporary piece (Snapshots by John Patitucci), and concluded with an exciting journey of Prokofiev’s String Quartet No. 2. The hour flew by and I really enjoyed every minute of it. After the concert I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Griffin. I was so surprised that she remembered me from our Zoom session earlier in the year! We talked about the program and how exciting it will be to finally play as an orchestra again. I can’t wait to perform for a live audience too! Sanjay |