On a sunny weekend last month in San Francisco, 30 amateur chamber musicians from around the country gathered in the home of two members of the Del Sol String Quartet for a weekend of music-making. Neighbors would have heard strains of Britten, Janáček, Shaw, Golijov, Bunch, Beethoven and Brahms. 

They would have also heard lots of laughter, applause, and the clinking of dishes and glassware. One of the unique aspects of Del Sol’s Chamberfest is that violist Charlton Lee cooks all of the meals (that’s two breakfasts and lunches, plus dinner, wine and cheese, and snacks!). He claims to start preparing only one day before, but the lavish, delicious spread says otherwise. Cellist Kathryn Bates takes on the logistical challenge of readying their house; six groups need rehearsal space, people need to have places to sit, store their instruments and mingle. Somehow she makes it look effortless. 

Charlton and Kathryn provide excellent coaching throughout the weekend with their violinist colleagues Hyeyung Sol Yoon and Benjamin Kreith (and former Del Sol violinist Sam Weiser, currently of the Carpe Diem String Quartet). The workshop schedule is well-planned, providing rehearsal time, coaching sessions with different instrumentalists, ample breaks, and even a brisk post-lunch walk up the hill. 

As champions of new music, the Del Sol Quartet inspires participants to pick modern, innovative repertoire for the workshop. The quartet also brings participants directly into conversation with living composers. This year, Matthew Evan Taylor coached one of the groups in Dawn of a New Day, a piece for string quartet that he wrote in 2018. He also presented his AfroPneumaism framework – a breath-centered compositional philosophy – and led participants in a shared breath and improvisation session that featured a saxophone solo by Taylor himself. 

The Del Sol Quartet provided many demonstrations throughout the weekend, which enriched the rehearsals and coachings. For instance, they played a concert that included a piece that they had just learned for their current season. The quartet also held a session on rehearsal techniques. Participants submitted tough spots from their pieces and watched the Del Sol Quartet assess unfamiliar scores in real time. They demonstrated ways to rehearse them, such as: singing and conducting (then playing right away without talking), playing with different bow techniques (ponticello, alternating pizzicato and arco), playing lines individually where the music is dense, and counting out loud while playing. The quartet modeled keeping an open mind and trying things in rehearsal. They showed how much could be communicated through playing rather than by talking. Many of the rehearsal techniques help a group establish a shared sense of pulse, which is so important in any kind of chamber music.

The weekend ended with a celebratory participant concert, featuring full movements and selected excerpts from each group. It was rewarding to hear the groups navigate the “tough spots” highlighted in the rehearsal technique workshop. The event showcased the progress that can be made in one weekend on a wide range of music. Above all, it was a powerful reminder of the joy and connection created by chamber music. Participants left the workshop with renewed passion for music, new friendships, and more than one ear worm stuck in their heads! Check out the ACMP listings of more adult amateur workshops like this one.