Ciompi Journal

A Duke Moment Takes Flight

Back To Recording

Ciompi has been back in the recording studio for the first time in seven years, at the results pay a great homage to Duke University.
For the first time in seven years, Ciompi releases a new album. Marking Duke University’s Centennial Celebration, this release brings together works by three Duke composers who have been influential in the life of the Ciompi Quartet, and in the lives of the many young composers they have mentored. A Duke Moment celebrates the quartet’s strong relationship with Duke’s faculty in composition and highlights their ongoing commitment to the commissioning and performance of new chamber music works.

In this disc the Ciompi Quartet celebrates a fruitful relationship with Duke’s faculty in composition. Over the years the Quartet has premiered multiple works by their colleagues. Marking Duke University’s Centennial Celebration, “A Duke Moment” brings together works by three Duke composers who have been influential in the life of the Ciompi Quartet, and in the lives of the many young composers they have mentored.

The Reviewers Respond

Recent reviews from Fanfare indicate the album will have a special place in the recording canon for several years to come.

Here, impeccable execution never approaches the clinical or mechanical. The way the group
effortlessly adapts to varying technical demands without losing its supple emotional core is quite
admirable. Five stars: Modern quartets with a strong appeal to music lovers.

Huntley Dent

The way the Ciompi Quartet clearly collectively understands the processes; and how they
instantly bring back not just the notes, but the atmosphere…assures one that this is the finest
performance Jaffe could ask for. A superbly produced disc showcasing three complementary voices; the faultless performances are presented in the finest sound.

Colin Clarke

Learn More About The Album

Article Published July 22, 2025

Ciompi Reflects and Refreshes

Taking A Moment To Review

Ciompi violist Jonathan Bagg looks back on a stacked spring as the quartet gears up for another exciting season ahead.
The Ciompi had an incredibly ambitious agenda this spring season: among other things, we performed Duttilleux’s Ainsi La Unit, Schoenberg’s Quartet No. 4, Bartok No. 4, a new 5-movement work by Andrew Waggoner (with Pipa!), and a quartet by Wolfgang Fraenkel, German-Jewish composer who escaped to Shanghai before the war. Fascinating programs and wonderful musicians.

It felt like we had been going non-stop and we certainly didn’t pause there! Our final week together in the Spring took us on the road to Germany (Osnabrück), and Austria (Vienna) in a concert sponsored by the Exilarte & the Arnold Schoenberg Centers. It’s Arnold’s 150th this year so we were delighted to dive into his String Quartet No. 4 op 37 from 1936. Our Vienna concert was part of the Schoenberg 150th celebration which is obviously a big honor. We were welcomed with such generosity in both places. Packed houses, great music making and some wonderful meals in between!

Our program for these concerts also included Wolfgang Fraenkel’s Music for String Quartet from 1949. A fascinating piece and an amazing journey of discovery for us which Hsiao-mei is going to tell you more about.

All in all it was a wonderful trip away and a lovely opportunity for us to have some focused time together as a quartet ahead of the summer break when we concentrate on our individual performance projects. Following that break, we are delighted to have returned to campus over the last few weeks and begun the final preparations for the exciting year ahead. We look forward to seeing you at a concert very soon.

*In true German fashion, we had a beautiful Italian meal in Osnabrück, Germany with clarinetist Allan Ware and his daughter. We slept very well that night!*

Thoughts On Wolfgang Fraenkel

Violinist Hsiao-mei Ku shares some insights on lesser know composer Wolfgang Fraenkel.

Many people are familiar with Schoenberg, but not Fraenkel. I was aware that during the 1930s approximately 18,000 European Jews escaped the holocaust to Shanghai which was one of the only ports the Jewish people could enter without a visa. Like many Jewish musician refugees, Fraenkel played violin in the orchestra and taught music lessons for his livelihood during that period.

What I was surprised to learn, the rest of story, was that from 1939-1947, Fraenkel not only played as a violinist and violist in the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra (now the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra) and worked as a pianist and conductor, he taught both music theory and composition to Chinese musicians as well. Many of the students he taught went on to become important figures and held leading positions in Chinese musical institutions. From that list of names, I can identify former classmates’ parents as well as the names of my teachers from the Beijing Conservatory, where I started my music journey as a child. What a fascinating connection to this incredibly resilient artist.

**Ciompi arriving in Osnabrück, Germany**

The Traveling Players, And Their Instruments…

Ciompi violinist Eric Pritchard and cellist Caroline Stinson reflect on some of the realities of flying with their very special instruments. As you will see, traveling life is a little more complicated if you’re a cellist.

What are some of the things you have to consider when navigating international air travel with your instrument?

Eric Pritchard – Violinist
Actually, nothing becomes too complicated. Other than making sure I get to board the plane relatively early in the boarding process so that I’m sure to have space in the overhead compartment for the violin, it is pretty much a normal travel experience.

I do make sure the violin case is humidified because the air in planes can be so dry. Low humidity levels are not at all good for the instrument.

Caroline Stinson – Cellist
Since many airports switched to the super scanners with spinning bins, the cello has to be examined separately at RDU (Raleigh-Durham International Airport). Thankfully, LGA, BOS and many others still have one old-school x-ray, just not our RDU.

I always refer to it as my baby as I hand it over; I show them the flat side and say that if they lay it on the flat side, it won’t fall over. I know that seems silly, but I can’t count the number of times someone has done the opposite. If they don’t make eye contact, I tell the TSA employee that I bought it instead of a house so I am grateful for their care with it. That usually gets my message across.

Lastly, when they are about to open it, I recommend they face the most latches toward them, I describe where all the latches are (2 on the far side) and offer to help if they need it. I don’t sweat the plastic swab thing. Generally they are gentle and the risk lower than a bow falling on the instrument or being knocked on a music stand.

Displaying nervousness has not been advantageous, but genuinely thanking them in advance has had the greatest success in ensuring everyone is happy, and the cello safe.

What’s your worst travel story with your instrument?

Eric Pritchard – Violinist
Probably the time I drove 2 hours to play a concert and realized that I had neglected to bring the violin! I had to ask the concert presenter to find me an instrument with just an hour to spare. Thankfully… they did!

Caroline Stinson – Cellist
Umm… No comment…

Article Published October 10, 2024

The Portfolio Project 2024

The Ciompi Quartet Portfolio Project began in the summer of 2020 as a way for the Quartet to engage with composers in Duke Music’s graduate program during the COVID-19 pandemic, when live performances were curtailed and composers and performers needed creative outlets for their music. The success of the initial project inspired the Ciompi Quartet to continue the Portfolio Project every year thereafter.

This year’s concert, on December 5th, features works by Duke graduate composers Mozhgan Chahian Boroojeni, Tyler Jordan and Monthati Masebe, as well as a premiere by Duke alumnus Sidney Boquiren.

See concert details »

The Summer Chamber Series Returns

The summer of 2024 will be a summer of chamber music not to be forgotten when Ciompi Presents once again fills the chamber music niche with vibrant artistry. This three-concert series never fails to delight audiences when the musicians share the inspirational creativity of master composers. Nationally and internationally recognized guest artists will join Ciompi musicians – violist Jonathan Bagg, violinist Eric Pritchard and cellist Caroline Stinson – in these celebratory evenings filled with creativity, conviviality and superb artistry. Join us for Ciompi Presents 2024 Summer Chamber Music Series at Duke Gardens AND Baldwin Auditorium.

Purchase tickets beginning Thursday May 2, 2024. Subscriptions are $60. Single tickets are $25 General Public; Non-Duke Students/Duke Employees $20; Youth/Duke students $10. Tickets may be purchased online at tickets.duke.edu or at the Duke University Box Office, Bryan Center, Upper Level. The box office is open Tuesday-Friday, 11am-4pm, or you may call 919-684-4444. The box office accepts cash, check, credit cards and Duke Card FLEX payments.

All Concerts begin at 7:00pm. The concerts will be presented at Kirby Horton Hall in the Doris Duke Center at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, and at Baldwin Auditorium, Duke East Campus. Call 919-684-3698 for directions to the Gardens and 919-684-4444 for directions to Baldwin.

Ciompi Presents is sponsored by the Department of Music, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, and the Ciompi Quartet Fund.

Learn More

Ciompi Goes Downtown and On Campus

Downtown Classics
Thu March 21, 2024, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
NorthStar Church of the Arts, 220 West Geer St, Durham, NC (View on map )
FREE and open to the public
Learn More

Lunchtime Classics
Wed March 22, 2024, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Goodson Chapel, Duke University, 407 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC (View on map )
FREE and open to the public
Learn More

The Ciompi Quartet continues its two performance series of one-hour concerts featuring major works for string quartet in an informal setting. Cellist Caroline Stinson spoke about the Downtown concert initiative:

“The Downtown Concerts grew out of our desire to be in the community – where people work and live. Downtown Durham is so lively and fun and we love being a part of that vibe, right at the end of the work day!”

Ciompi is joined by the internationally acclaimed North Carolina native Allan Ware. Ciompi violinist Hsiao-mei Ku shares how excited the quartet is to have Allen with them again:

“We are so thrilled to have our longtime collaborator and friend back to make music together again. In addition to our several concerts tours in Germany, Allan has been a frequent guest artist in our Duke Concert Series. I still remember vividly an audience member coming to me with tears in his eyes after our performance of the Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in Baldwin Auditorium.”

Allan joins the quartet for Paul Ben-Haim’s remarkable work from 1941: The Clarinet Quintet, Op. 31A. Ciompi violinist Eric Pritchard speaks with great passion about the composer’s contribution to chamber music:

“Paul Ben-Haim (1897 Munich – 1984 Tel Aviv) is an utterly unique figure in 20th century music. He radically changed his compositional approach when he emigrated from Germany to Palestine in 1933, eventually becoming the leading exponent of the nationalistic style of Israel. His place in the canon of western music is similar to that of Aaron Copland and this is one of his most popular pieces.”

Student ensemble The Larkspur Quartet from the Chamber Music at Duke will also feature at both concerts performing the 1st movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132. Larkspur was one of the first groups to take part in the Duke / New England Conservatory Exchange program in 2022. That program just completed its latest leg, hosting five NEC students at Duke.

This series provides the opportunity to see truly world class performer alongside young artists in development, performing works from the classic chamber music canon in two beautiful settings.

Ciompi Concert Live Streaming From Notre Dame

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
LaBar Recital Hall (View on map )

Ciompi travels to Indiana for a performance at The University of Notre Dame’s LaBar Recital Hall. The concert features a richly varied program of masterpieces for strings. American Shelley Washington’s work draws from her childhood in Missouri and Kansas and synthesizes elements of jazz, rock, and American folk music.

American Composer Shelley Washington and Patrick Yim. — American Composer Shelley Washington

Hungarian Bela Bartok’s iconic String Quartet No. 4, a masterclass in composition, explores Hungarian folk music and language, arch form, “night music,” and numerous systems of harmonic organization. To conclude, Notre Dame faculty violinist Patrick Yim joins the Ciompi for Brahms’ triumphant Op. 111.

They are also excited that the concert will be live streamed over YouTube. Click here to watch this concert live.

Masterclass with the Ciompi Quartet
In the lead up to the concert, Ciompi will conduct a masterclass that is open to the public from 4:00 PM- 5:30 PM in the LaBar Recital Hall. The Ciompi Quartet of Duke University coaches Notre Dame Music students in chamber works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms.

Watch The Live Stream

Tuesday. January 30 at 7:00 pm

Click To View

The performers gratefully acknowledge the generous support for this performance by The Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, College of Arts and Letters.