Music: Farallon Quintet

Classical

The Farallon Quintet, founded in the summer of 2012, is a dynamic Bay Area ensemble and the only professional chamber music group focused exclusively on the clarinet quintet—string quartet plus clarinet—repertoire. In addition to playing the classics, the group seeks to perform rarely heard works as well as new music by living composers. With at least 160 existing clarinet quintets to choose from, the group offers diverse and engaging programs to the general public.

The quintet is made up of leading Bay Area musicians—Natalie Parker, clarinet; Dan Flanagan and Matthew Oshida, violins; Elizabeth Prior, viola; Jonah Kim, cello—who are principal players in such orchestras as the San Francisco Ballet, Santa Rosa Symphony, Marin Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, Fremont Symphony, Modesto Symphony, and the Sacramento Philharmonic. As an ensemble, the players recently received a grant from San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music to record and release their debut album in early 2015.

The group takes its name from the Farallon Islands, located right off the coast of San Francisco. In addition to being a landmark location close to where the players live and work, its meaning—“pillar” or “steep rock” in Spanish—indicates the group’s vision to become an important “pillar” or “rock” in classical music by building awareness around the lesser known yet musically significant clarinet quintet repertoire. The Farallon Islands also represent the group’s inspiration which is founded in the simplicity and beauty of nature. In fact, the group is known to intersperse rehearsals with hikes in the mountains and road trips—all with the intent to discover the natural beauties of Northern California.