For G.H.A. part #1
Dassi Rosenkrantz
Performed by the Cara quartet
This piece was written in honor of the late Persian composer, Mr. Greg Aslani, and his wife Fida. The inspiration for this piece came after Fida’s passing, which happened a week after the passing of Mr. Aslani on January 28, 2020. The music has been haunting me and I hope that I did justice to their memory.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Aslani around 1995 when we both played music with a Persian band in NYC. We worked together for about 5 years and he definitely had a huge influence on me, getting to love this music. The Aslanis welcomed me and my family into their home, and we continued to exchange musical ideas for many years thereafter.
I knew Mr. Aslani to have tremendous pride in his heritage and of who he was. I was inspired by his resilience, courage, sense of humor, kindness, generosity, and vast knowledge of music and beyond.
His beloved Fida was always by his side, supporting him in every way while also showing her own strong and radiant personality. She created a warm and welcoming environment for the hundreds of piano students who were fortunate to study with Mr. Aslani through his 50 years of teaching, in Valley Cottage, NY.
This is the first movement, out of three, performed by the Cara quartet, who's members are:
Amy Hersh, flute
Kathleen Thomson, violin
Katherine Sinsabaugh, viola
Jacqueline Stern, cello
About the Artists
The Cara Quartet
Amy Hersh, flute
Kathleen Thomson, violin
Katherine Sinsabaugh, viola
Jacqueline Stern, cello
“Cara” means friend in Gaelic. Our ensemble was formed by four friends who loved playing together and wanted to explore flute quartets and other chamber music. The group’s members have thriving freelance careers and have known each other since studying in New York City as graduate students.
Individually, they have won awards and performed in orchestras all over the US and the world, including The Mexico City Philharmonic, The Hudson Valley Philharmonic, The Stamford and Greenwich Symphonies, the New Jersey Symphony, and many Broadway shows. Chamber music appearances have included, the Columbia Artist Concerts, The American Landmark Series, the Saint Paul’s concert series at Columbia University, Bruno Walter auditorium at Lincoln Center, The Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church Music Series, Trinity Church, and music festivals such as The Aspen Festival, The Vermont Mozart Festival, The Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, The Blossom Festival, and the Grand Teton Festival.
Dassi Rosenkrantz is a bass player, composer, arranger, and producer. Born in Israel, she began her music career playing bass for numerou projects and shows encompassing a variety of music genres.
After moving to NYC, she studied with acclaimed teachers including Joel Thome, Philip Lasser, Mark Shapiro and Anthony Jackson. She participated in an European American Music Alliance (EAMA) composition program, based on the methods of Nadia Boulanger and based at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. She earned her BA and MM from SUNY Purchase, while working as a musician and a teaching artist.
She toured and recorded with the late renowned Debbie Friedman, while arranging and directing a variety of Latin Music projects. Some of her original music was licensed for films and TV. She teaches music at the Ramaz School, NYC, and records and produces original music with her family, The Cabo Project. She is currently participating in the Carnegie Hall Music Educators Workshop and is a fellow of The Academy for Teachers.
https://www.dassirosenkrantz.com