The Victoria Bach Festival is pleased to welcome Del Sol String Quartet members Sam Weiser, Benjamin Kreith, Charlton Lee, and Kathryn Batesto South Texas.

Tickets are going fast for the Saturday, June 1 concert at the Presidio La Bahía in Goliad and the Sunday, June 2 concert at The Sanctuary in Edna.

We caught up with violist Charlton Lee to get his thoughts on the quartet’s concerts for the 2019 Victoria Bach Festival.

VBF: How did the Del Sol String Quartet form, and what inspired the group’s name?

Charlton: Del Sol was formed in 1992, while I was in graduate school. The name comes from the idea of sharing our music with “everyone under the sun” instead of naming it after one particular composer or location (which was popular back then). The Spanish name was inspired by having our very first concert in New Mexico.

VBF: Tell us a little bit about the program the quartet has prepared.

Charlton: We centered this program around Mohammed Fairouz’s piece “The Named Angels,” which is inspired by the angels shared across the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faiths (Michael, Azreal, Gabriel, and Israfel).

Besides Fairouz’s piece, we’ll also play works by Osvaldo Golijov, Gabriela Lena Frank, Ben Johnston, and Erberk Eryilmaz. Golijov is from Argentina with a Jewish background, while Johnston’s piece is a set of intricate variations on “Amazing Grace.” Frank’s parents met in Peru while her father was in the Peace Corps, and Eryilmaz is from Turkey.

The program conveys the joys, hopes, and sorrows we all share as human beings. The commonality of sharing music can build bridges over the divides we face.
VBF: During down time, what do members of the quartet like to do?

Charlton: When the group is on tour, we love to explore the local food scene together, find beautiful places to hike, and hit the museums!

Get tickets for the Del Sol String Quartet on Saturday, June 1 at the Presidio La Bahía in Goliad and  Sunday, June 2  at The Sanctuary in Edna.