Mary Ellen Woodside, violin

Meesun Hong, violin

Alexander Besa, viola

Rafael Rosenfeld, cello

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„..each individual is a musician of the highest technical ability, but what is more impressive is how they create a completely homogenous and harmonious ensemble.  Their honest approach to the works convinces me as intelligent and mature.  If this all sounds too serious, allow me to emphasize the group’s joyful and youthful playing…“

Bernard Haitink on the Merel Quartet, 2006

Since its formation in 2002, the Merel Quartet, resident in Zürich, Switzerland, has received unanimous praise:

“New to the Salzburger Festspiel stage:  the Merel Quartet. This young Zürich ensemble’s music-making is extraordinarily precise and tonally exceedingly well-matched.”

Wiener Zeitung on the quartet’s debut at the Salzburger Festspiele (August, 2008)

“… with utmost expressivity and a subtle sense of form, tone and rhetoric.”

Neue Zürcher Zeitung on the Merel Quartet at the Ittinger Pfingstkonzerte (May 2007)

The Merel Quartet performs extensively in Europe in such prestigious venues as the Zurich Tonhalle and Wigmore Hall, and in such important festivals as the Salzburger Festspiele, Lucerne Festival, Kunstfest Weimar, the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, the „Omaggio a Palladio’ series in Vicenza, and are regular guests of András Schiff and Heinz Holliger at the Ittingen Whitsun Festival.

In addition, the quartet has collaborated with such artists as Ruth Ziesak, Juliana Banse, Dénes Várjon, Nobuko Imai, Thomas Demenga, Heinz Holliger, Christoph Schiller, Quatuor Ebène, the Stamitz Quartet, and the Panocha Quartet, among others.

„It is with great pleasure that I recommend the Merel Quartet, as the latest, most welcome addition to the podiums of the chamber music world.  I wish the quartet the recognition they deserve.“

Alfred Brendel on the Merel Quartet, 2006

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It was a real getting together and we are very happy that the festival could play at such a beautiful place. Thank you to Sister Hildegard and all her companions and the people of Beit Emmaus for welcoming us in such a warm and open way.

Photo credit: (c) Bigshot / Christian Jungwirth

Thu, July 8th – 6.30 pm
Talitha Kumi, Beit Jala / Bethlehem

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A hot mixture of the best musical ingredients that Sounding Jerusalem has to offer. Best enjoyed in a place, which contributes the most important ingredient itself: humanity and the ability to see the world beyond one’s own nose.

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Mélange Oriental

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Michel Lethiec – clarinet, Erich Oskar Huetter – cello, Stefan Heckel – piano, accordion, Paul Gulda – piano, Merel Quartet – string quartet

Wed, July 7th – 8.00 pm
Jerusalem International YMCA, Jerusalem

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Mahler and Mozart explored new paths with their exiting piano quartets – STUDIO PERCUSSION graz discovers completely new worlds with fireworks of sound and rhythm – Schumann’s brilliantly strong string quartet in A minor rekindles energy and passion. This evening crowns the ultimate “Mélange Oriental”, which tries new ways to trace Jerusalem’s mixture of cultures in all their brilliance and passion.

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Gustav Mahler: Piano Quartet
Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart: Piano Quartet in G minor KV 478
Robert Schumann: String Quartet  A Minor Op. 41/1
Mélange Oriental
Percussion Improvisation

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Michel Lethiec – clarinet, Erich Oskar Huetter – cello, Mahran Moreb – qanun, Stefan Heckel – piano, accordion, Paul Gulda – piano, Ensemble Raro – string trio, Merel Quartet – string quartet

STUDIO PERCUSSION graz: Günter Meinhart, Mamadou Diabate, Ismael Barrios, Bernhard Richter

Tue, July 6th – 8.00 pm
American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem

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Imagine that W. A. Mozart is strolling through the souk in Jerusalem’s Old City, having sweet melodies in his head, and every now and then he tries some of the Oriental delicacies. What could this evening sound like? A loving serenade to Mozart covering all shades of sounds, spiced up with a pinch of Enescu.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Trio “Divertimento” in E flat major, K. 563
Piano Quartet in G minor KV 478
Sonatas for piano solo
Quintet for clarinet and String Quartet K. 581
Ludwig van Beethoven: Theme over Mozart´s Opera “The Magic Flute” – ”Bei Maennern, welche Liebe fuehlen” for Piano and Cello
George Enescu: Aubade for String Trio
Oriental Music

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Michel Lethiec – clarinet, Erich Oskar Huetter – cello, Stefan Heckel – piano, accordion, Paul Gulda – piano, Ensemble Raro – string trio, Merel Quartet – string quartet

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Concert fully booked. Unfortunately no more seats available.
Link

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Mon, July 5th – 8.00 pm
St. Vincent, En Karem

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This evening, “Mélange Oriental” begin their musical discovery journey in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, offering the audience new perspectives on their way. Their paths cross those of subtle sounds from the amazing string quartet “Ph(r)asen”, led by the contemporary Swiss composer D. Ph. Hefti, and they finally reach the vastness of Hungary with Bartók’s dramatic String Quartet No. 4.

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David Philip Hefti: “Phrasen” for String Quartet
Béla Bartok: String Quartet Nr. 4
“Mélange Oriental”

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Michel Lethiec – clarinet, Erich Oskar Huetter – cello), Stefan Heckel – accordion, Merel Quartet – string quartet

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Sun, July 4th – 8.00 pm
Crusaders Church, Abu Gosh

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With the help of Smetana’s impressive and virtuoso Quartet “From my Life” and a great “Melange Oriental”, artists from all corners of Europe recount stories about the search for their roots and their identity, about exuberance and melancholy, about adventures in faraway countries and the longing for home.

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Bedrich Smetana: String Quartet “From my life“  in E minor,
“Mélange Oriental”

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Magali Léger – soprano, Michel Lethiec – clarinet, Erich Oskar Huetter – cello, Stefan Heckel – accordion, impro, Merel Quartet – string quartet, Quatuor Voce – string quartet

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Sat, July 3rd – 6.30 pm
Beit Emmaus, Qubeibeh

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Beit Emmaus is a historical place of encounters. And encounter is the motto under which the artists of this festival get together in different formations to communicate through the gentle sounds of baroque music, artistic string quintets and a small but absolutely brilliant orchestra of Arabic music.

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Henry Purcell: Love Songs
- If music be the food of love (third version)
- Music for a while
- Sweeter than roses
- Oh! fair Cedaria
- I see she fly’s me
- Fly swift, ye hours
Franz Schubert: String Quintet C major op. post. 163 D 956
Oriental Music Orchestra

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Magali Léger – soprano, Erich Oskar Huetter – cello, Gianluca Capuano – harpsichord, Merel Quartet – string quartet, Quatuor Voce – string quartett

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