Ethel (string quartet)

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ETHEL is the name of an American string quartet based in New York City that is dedicated to the performance of new music.

ETHEL was formed in 1998. Unlike most string quartets, ETHEL plays with amplification and integrates improvisation into its performances. Its members include Cornelius "Neil" Dufallo, violin; Ralph Farris, viola; Dorothy Lawson, cello; and Mary Rowell, violin. Dufallo replaced one of the quartet's original violinists, Todd Reynolds.

ETHEL performs original music as well as works by notable contemporary composers such as Julia Wolfe, John Zorn, Don Byron, Marcelo Zarvos, Pamela Z, Phil Kline, John King and many more. The group's 2004-2005 season culminated with a 45-city U.S. and European tour with the rock musicians Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren, which included an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.^(video) Their 2005-2006 season included the Cantaloupe Music release of its second CD, Light, performances at BAM's Next Wave Festival in New York, first-time performances in Miami (Florida), the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, performance at the new Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at RPI in Troy, New York as well as at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference. ^[1], and a monthly residency at Joe's Pub^[2] For the past two years, ETHEL has been the string quartet in residence with the Native American Composers Apprenticeship Project (NACAP), an affiliate program of the Grand Canyon Music Festival, which is dedicated to teaching Native American young people to compose concert music.

All members of ETHEL are Juilliard School of Music alumni. Members of the group performed or recorded with Bang on a Can, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the New York Chamber Symphony, CONTINUUM, Sheryl Crow, Roger Daltrey, and Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project.

1 Recordings
2 External links
- 2.1 Video
- 2.2 Listening

[edit] Recordings

2000 - Oscar Moore: The Indescribable Nth, animated film with soundtrack by Bennie Wallace, Character Builders
2000 - Joe Jackson: Night and Day II, Sony
2001 - Mel Graves: Day of Love, Mutable
2001 - Muhal Richard Abrams: The Visibility of Thought, Mutable
2002 - Dayna Kurtz: Postcards From Downtown, Kismet/Mri
2003 - Julia Wolfe: The String Quartets, Cantaloupe Music
2003 - ETHEL, with music by John King, Phil Kline, Todd Reynolds, and Evan Ziporyn, Cantaloupe Music
2004 - Lukas Ligeti: Mystery System, Tzadik
2004 - Dayna Kurtz: Beautiful Yesterday, Kismet/Mri
2005 - Neil Rolnick: Shadow Quartet, Innova Records
2006 - John King: AllSteel, Tzadik
2006 - Light, with music by Timo Alakotila, Don Byron, Mary Ellen Childs, Einstein the Afrcan grey parrot, Lennie Tristano, Pamela Z and Marcelo Zarvos, Cantaloupe Music
2006 - For New Orleans, Benefit compilation CD including artists Jeff Buckley, Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant, Marshall Crenshaw, Dan Wilson, the Jayhawks and more, Sugarfoot Music