This year, the Susan McIntosh Lloyd award is given to the Del Sol Quartet for their excellence and diversity in chamber music education.

Founded in 1992 and based in San Francisco, Del Sol’s collaborative performance projects and chamber music programs explore narratives and cultures from around the world, reflecting the stories and sounds of the Pacific Rim as vibrantly as those heard in European concert halls or East Coast art spaces. Embracing this panoramic and emotionally rich worldview, Del Sol has commissioned and premiered over 100 works from a diverse range of international composers. They have also recorded nine critically acclaimed, full-length albums including the latest, Dark Queen Mantra, released in 2017.

Del Sol has immersed their audience in multi-media and dramatic performances, including STRINGWRECK (its collaboration with acclaimed choreographers Janice Garrett and Charles Moulton), Ricky Ian Gordon’s chamber opera GREEN SNEAKERS with baritone Jesse Blumberg (exploring the intimate impact of AIDS), and GARDEN (a four-dimensional soundscape created with composer and video artist Chris Jonas)

In addition to their high-quality musical and collaborative output, Del Sol believes in bringing people into the artistic process through multiple facets of their Learning Project. From adult workshops to numerous programs for young musicians- including programs for public schools and the annual QuartetFest for young string players ages 11 -18, they bring chamber music into many people’s lives and promote the love and knowledge of chamber music in an impactful way.

Honoring the late Susan Mcintosh Lloyd, an avid player and educator and devoted ACMP board member for many years, the Award is presented annually in recognition of those furthering chamber music education. We present the 2019 Susan McIntosh Lloyd award, along with a check for $1,000, to the Del Sol Quartet.

You can find out more about Del Sol Quartet’s education programs here.