As the sun slowly peaks above the horizon, the sky is flooded with vibrant hues of ​orange, yellow, and red. All the while an incandescent warm light cascades ​down the face of the mountain and glistens amongst a blanket of snow. ​Alpenglow is a string quartet about the little moments that matter the most. It is ​about the seemingly insignificant things that give you that warm and fuzzy ​feeling, about something as simple as the joy of watching the sunrise or sunset ​against the Rocky Mountains.

Alpenglow by Dianna Link

Sometimes we've been made to believe that greatness and power are directly related to size or stature. ​Large and thick books could almost guarantee a well-told story and well-developed characters. ​Governing figures who are two meters tall impose themselves even in videos and on television. People ​in everyday life seem to have some advantages... I wonder, where does the intrinsic greatness of objects ​or people without tangible greatness escape to? I think that many times (or most of the time) it goes to ​the small stories, the miniatures, the short tales, or the brief narratives. That's where small characters ​and stories demonstrate (effortlessly but skillfully) that other virtues can be of great magnitude, and that ​those small, great things that aren't seen but exist from within can achieve great changes in ourselves ​and in others. This work is a miniature based on Igor Stravinsky's 'The Soldier's Tale,' who is an endless ​source of inspiration for the composer Eduardo Herrera. -Mariana Martínez

La Historia del Soldadito by Eduardo Herrera Arévalo

Leaven tells the story of yeast's adventurous journey ​throughout the bread-making process. It guides the listener ​through the different stages - kneading, proofing, baking - ​and ends with a solemn march honoring the yeast's ​sacrifice in providing substance, aroma, and flavor to the ​bread.

Leaven by Luis Ramirez

Ration Vibe is a composition inspired ​by the different type of brainwaves ​and what their represent in our ​bodies. Each movement is inspired ​on a different "state of mind", so to ​speak, and is accompanied by ​binaural beats in the frequency of the ​brain waves that are being ​represented.

Ration Vibe by Maia Steinberg

A brief collection of ripples and waves ​is inspired by the traditional ​Japanese depictions of water. A ​single intervallic cycle flows through ​a series of transformations of timbre ​and texture that delineate a ​voluptuous expressive arc.

A Brief Collection of Ripples and Waves by Fermín León

Rumore molto Rumore was originally composed for viola da gamba quartet for the prestigious ​Academia Chigiana in Siena, Italy. The work reflects the rich historical tradition of the viola da gamba ​while pushing the boundaries of its resonant possibilities. In this adaptation for string quartet, the ​composer endeavors to preserve the distinctive resonance and timbral nuances inherent in the original ​version, while exploiting the nature of the string quartet. The piece unfolds through a series of ​interconnected sections, as melodic lines intertwine, creating a dialogue that is both evocative and ​contemplative. The composer employs various bowing patterns to enhance the quartet’s expressive ​range.

Rumore Molto Rumore by Aurés Moussong

Seikilos Variations has its theme sourced from an ancient Greek memorial tablet from around the 1st ​century C.E., called the Seikilos Epitaph - it is the oldest complete composition that has survived to our ​days. The original text of the music, which influenced the variations, goes as follows: "While you live, shine - have no grief at all [since] life exists only for a short while and Time demands his ​due."

These variations try to evoke different parts of Life in a form of a snapshot: parts being happy, ​sometimes melancholic, sometimes exuberant.

Seikilos Variations by Kenichi Ikuno Sekiguchi

Quartet No. 2 is a short piece with three brief scenes inspired by ​Peruvian cultural landscapes, incorporating rhythmic and melodic ​elements from the composer's home country.

Quartet No. 2 by Mark Contreras Waiss

String Quartet No.1 "The Call" evokes ​the captivating painting of Remedios ​Varo, "La Llamada". "The Call" ​embodies the spiritual concept of ​being summoned to unite with the divine and merge with the energy of ​the cosmos. It is a poignant reminder ​that when our life cycle concludes, ​we too are beckoned to return to the ​very source of all existence.

Seikilos Variations by Kenichi Ikuno Sekiguchi

OAcademy Music Conservatory

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