The DNA Quintet is comprised of the Loma Mar Quartet and John Feeney, double bass. They have played together for many years in numerous concerts from Carnegie Hall to Pacem in Terris, playing repertoire from the 17th to the 21st centuries. In 2008 they formalized the group under the name DNA Quintet and began the project of recording the 31 string quintets and 6 string quartets of Domenico Dragonetti. This music has not been published or recorded before. Their first CD, Dragonetti’s New Academy, released in September 2009, won the prestigious Classical Recording Foundation Award for 2009. In May 2010 they completed their second CD which includes the world premiere recordings of F.J. Haydn’s newly discovered Divertimento Hob 5 C:ll and Dragonetti Quintets no. 11 and 26, and String Quartet no. 2. Each individual in the group is distinguished as an early music player, chamber musician and soloist. An alternative to the ubiquitous string quartet, DNA has been applauded for their vital performances of “the familiar and the forgotten”, delighting their audiences with the unique and varied tone world and repertoire available to the string quintet.
John Feeney is principal double bass of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the period instrument groups - American Classical Orchestra, Grand Tour Orchestra and also plays principal bass for Sinfonia New York. A chamber musician and soloist of international renown, he is a frequent guest with the Smithsonian Chamber players, the Four Nations Ensemble and Artek. First prize-winner of the Concert Artists Guild and Zimmerman-Mingus International Competitions and medalist-prizewinner in the Geneva and Isle of Man Competitions, his performances of double bass concertos, with orchestras such as the American Symphony and St. Luke’s, include engagements at Carnegie and Alice Tully Halls and many other major NYC venues. In 2007 he gave the world premiere of Paquito D’Rivera’s “Conversations With Cachao” a concerto for clarinet/sax, double bass and orchestra at the Caramoor International Music Festival with Paquito D’Rivera and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Later that year he and Paquito played with the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico. John has been prolific at transcribing music for the double bass and violone and is an avid Viennese violonist. He has recorded extensively for most major record labels and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Juilliard School.
The Loma Mar Quartet - Krista Bennion Feeney and Anca Nicolau violins, Joanna Hood viola and Myron Lutzke cello- was formed in 1997 after being invited to perform Haydn String quartets at Bard College in New York State. Equally at home in many musical genres, they have established a reputation for the broad stylistic range of their programs, from medieval to contemporary. Most notably they have worked with Paul McCartney in a recording for EMI entitled Working Classical, that includes nine of his songs arranged for string quartet, and two original compositions by Sir Paul written for the Loma Mar Quartet; Haymakers’ and Midwife. Shortly after the release of Working Classical, then at the top of the classical charts, the Loma Mar Quartet appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra in a live concert from Liverpool which was broadcast worldwide. The quartet joined forces with Sir Paul again in 2000 for the cancer charity The Garland Appeal, and again in 2006 at Carnegie Hall, revisiting six of the song arrangements, this time with the addition of soprano Kate Royal, tenor Andrew Staples and bassist John Feeney, followed by the American premiere of Sir Paul’s Ecce Cor Meum. Continuing their eclectic career, in 2002 the Loma Mar Quartet recorded The Rhythm of Life with jazz singer Claudia Acuna, bassist Dave Holland and pianist/arranger Billy Childs. Since its inception the quartet has frequently performed with bassist John Feeney in diverse repertoire and settings including Pacem in Terris in Warwick New York. In 2008 the quartet began the DNA project or Dragonetti’s New Academy with bassist and music director John Feeney.
Read more...