Artist Interview: Yumi Kendall, Dryden Quartet

Joining us on February 17, the Dryden Quartet is described by the Philadelphia Inquirer as "fearless, flexible and fiery". The quartet's cellist, and acting Associate Principal of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Yumi Kendall (center) was kind enough to answer a few questions earlier this month about their upcoming performance, the history of the ensemble and her summers at Marlboro.

Patrick Burke: The quartet will perform the Ginastera String Quartet No. 1 — a composer and work rarely heard on our series — which features many of the composer’s characteristic styles and harmonies. Could you talk about this work and why you chose to pair this with the Haydn and the Schubert?

Yumi Kendall: We decided several years ago to add the Ginastera to our repertoire, at the request of our grandfather, John Dryden Kendall (after whom our quartet is named, and who also taught all of us as Suzuki students). He highly recommended that we learn it; he loved this quartet in particular, and he even gave us the music that he'd used. Perhaps by including it in our PCMS program, we are paying homage to Grandfather...

PB: Most of the members in the quartet spend a majority of their musical careers playing in large ensembles. Could you describe how playing in a quartet is a creative outlet for you, and what are the differences in playing within a smaller ensemble?

YK: There is something so intimate and personal about playing chamber music; there is something even more personal, even vulnerable, when playing chamber music with family (and we include Nurit as family, not only for who she is, but also for our history and shared backgrounds). Nicolas and I often read each others' minds, or finish each others's sentences; Nurit seamlessly joins in; Daniel might turn to me in rehearsal, or I to him, and before either of us says a word, we've agreed on the spot, and on what to change. Such examples show our personal interaction and creative independence in playing chamber music.