The Del Sol String Quartet, in collaboration with clarinetist Jeff Anderle and master didjeridu player Stephen Kent, is excited to present a one-of-a-kind concert program entitled "Coming Together." The six musicians, assembled into duet, quintet, and even sextet, will perform four memorable pieces from all over the world.

Del Sol cellist Hannah Addario-Berry and clarinetist Jeff Anderle will kick off the concert with a passionate duet called "Coming Together," by Derek Bermel (b. 1967, New York). Bermel truly captures qualities of the human voice in this piece as the two instruments exchange a long series of short, sighing glissandi. In a humorous, conversational language, the two instruments can be heard moaning, laughing, flirting, and even screaming. It is an unforgettable work that will stimulate the imagination!

Next, Del Sol will be joined by Stephen Kent on the didjeridu to perform "Quartet No. 16," by Peter Sculthorpe (b. 1929, Australia). Inspired by letters from Afghan refugees in Australian detention centers, the piece consists of five powerful movements, each evoking a specific emotion or feeling: Loneliness, Anger, Yearning, Trauma, and Freedom. Sculthorpe loosely bases three out of the five movements on an ancient love song from Central Afghanistan, the original home of a substantial number of refugees in Australia. The work is full of contrast, rich modal melodies, aggressive rhythms in odd meters, and sweet sustained harmonies.

Joined again by Jeff Anderle performing on a variety of clarinets, the Del Sol Quartet will delve into the Jewish klezmer tradition with "The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind," by Osvaldo Golijov (b. 1960, Argentina). The clarinet adds a unique color to the quartet sound in this quintet which brilliantly blends moments of deeply meditative prayer with wild, ecstatic dance. In this work, Golijov fuses elements from the klezmer tradition with some of the more classical string quartet forms. The music is at times meditative, passionate, driving, and haunting.

The concert concludes with all six musicians taking a break from their usual instruments, and discovering their rhythmic talents as a percussion ensemble performing "Awiroma," by Arturo Salinas (b. 1955, Mexico). Using Mexican hand drums, stick drums, maracas, and claves. With clapping, stomping, and whispering, the "part-time percussionists" will tackle this impressive and challenging piece.

This program is co-presented by Old First Concerts (in San Francisco on November 30, 2007) and by Berkeley Chamber Performances (in the East Bay on January 29, 2008).