ETHEL – A String Quartet

Cornelius Dufallo (violin) aka “Neil” has been hailed by the NY Times as one of the new faces of new music.”  As a violinist and improviser Neil has received critical acclaim for his performances around the world.  Before joining ETHEL Neil was a member of the Flux Quartet, NurseKaya, and the international Sejong Soloists.  Currently he is director and resident composer of the ensemble Ne(x)works, Neil holds a doctoral degree from the Juilliard School.

Ralph Farris (viola) is a Grammy-nominated arranger, an original orchestra member of the Broadway company of Disney’s The Lion King, and one-time musical director for The Who’s Roger Daltrey.  He has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Harry Connick, Jr., Allen Ginsberg, Joseph Silverstein, Five for Fighting, Dishwalla and Gorillaz.  A graduate of the Julliard School’s Accelerated BM/MM program, Ralph is a board member of his alma mater, Walnut Hill.  Ralph endorses Glasser carbon fiber bows.

Dorothy Lawson (cello) has toured extensively with Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project, Bang on a Can All-Stars and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.  A doctoral graduate of the Juilliard School, Dorothy was a founding member of the Rossetti and Roerich String Quartets.  She was recently the solo cello voice for Brazilian jazz pianist and composer Marcelo Zarvos & Group.  Dorothy’s Koch label recording of Borodin’s Cello Sonata is a North American premiere.

Mary Rowell (violin) performs regularly as a recitalist and has appeared internationally as electric-violin soloist with the New York City Ballet.  A member of the Grammy-award winning Tango Project and a founding member of the alt-rock band the Silos, she has also toured and performed with Sheryl Crow, Joe Jackson, Madonna and Clem Snide, among others.  Mary received B.M. and M.M. degrees from the Julliard School and is currently concertmaster of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra and the Palm Beach Pops.

ETHEL live at town hall Photo, photos of Dorothy Lawson & Mary Rowell © Steve J. Sherman.  Photo of Ralph Farris © D’Ambrose Boyd.

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