ABOUT
BLINK QUARTET is a Netherlands based string quartet, performing written and spontaneous music that uses improvisation as an important part of the music-making process. Creating works together across different disciplines, finding uncommon stage setups or locations are some of the group’s interests.
The backgrounds of the musicians involved are classical music, contemporary classical, jazz, free improvisation, music theatre and pop. This mixture is characteristic of the specific rich Dutch cultural environment.
Blink performed at the Strijkkwartet Biënnale in January 2020.
Geerte de Koe – violin
George Dumitriu – viola, violin
Yanna Pelser – viola
Pau Sola Masafrets – cello
Geerte is a Dutch violinist and workshop leader specialised in improvisation, co-creation, community art and site specific work. In her work, the violin, movement, voice and text are all integrated, often used in a collaboration based on co-creation or improvisation with other artists. As a teacher and coach, she works with the master students of the HKU and ArtEZ guiding them in creative music-making, community art and side specific composition projects.
George Dumitriu is a Romanian born poly-instrumentalist performer (viola, violin, guitar and electronics), and composer, internationally active in the fields of jazz, improvised music, contemporary classical and music theatre.
Leading his projects Monk on Viola, Hazard Ensemble and DUMItRIO or collaborating with Sanem Kalfa Duo, Black Sea Songs, North Sea String Quartet, Eve Risser’s L’ensemble Ensemble, Kaja Draksler Octet, Alex Simu Quintet, the National Opera & Ballet Amsterdam, he performs regularly on the main international jazz and improvised music festivals and stages.
Dutch violist, composer and Resonance trainer Yanna Pelser is an experienced studio musician, orchestral player, chamber musician and soloist in world music and cross-over ensemble, theatre productions. During her music studies she became interested in jazz and improvised music which led to her developing her own intuitive sonic world recognisable by singing and playing simultaneously. Her singer-songwriter debut album is to be released in spring ’21. She is a member of North Sea String Quartet and also toured the world and collaborated with singers Duncan Laurence, Karsu, Celine Cairo, Flip Noorman and recorded as an orchestral musician for Will.I.am, Celine Dion and David Garrett.
Pau Sola (Barcelona, Spain, 1989) is a cellist, improviser, and composer. He is involved in many projects on the border between classical music, music theatre, free improvisation, and Jazz participating in different festivals like Oerol festival (main program 2018), with Prikkel by AM.OK.; Cello Biennale (Amsterdam) with Harald Austbo quintet; So what’s next? (Eindhoven) and Transitions Jazz festival (Utrecht) with The Twists by Philipp Rütgers.