Biography
Based in Delray Beach, Florida, the Delray String Quartet adds a vital chamber music dimension to the classical landscape of South Florida, where many performers and listeners trace their roots to the Northeast. Although the ensemble’s personnel originate from disparate locations, each maintains deep ties to the area’s musical organizations.
Mei Mei Luo, the group’s founder and first violinist, has long participated in Florida’s concert life as concertmaster for both Orchestra Miami and Miami City Ballet’s Opus One Orchestra; she joined the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival roster in 2000 and held the assistant concertmaster chair with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra until its 2003 dissolution. Valentin Mansurov, the second violinist, completed his training in Uzbekistan, Turkey, France, and Canada, then established himself in Florida through positions with the Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Atlantic Classical Orchestra, and Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra. Violist Felicia Besan, born in Moldova and later based in Bucharest, Romania, earned her music degree from Lynn University in Boca Raton in 2011 and has appeared in chamber settings at England’s Manchester International Festival. Cellist Claudio Jaffé, originally from Brazil, obtained four degrees at Yale University and serves as principal cellist for the Florida Grand Opera and the Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra while having acted as dean of Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music.
The quartet schedules multiple concerts each season at sites such as Palm Beach Atlantic University, the Colony Hotel in Delray Beach, All Saints Episcopal Church, and Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, regularly featuring internationally recognized guest artists and preceding each work with spoken commentary rather than the conventional impersonal format. It has documented its work on the Centaur and Naxos labels, issuing a collection of Richard Danielpour string quartets on the latter imprint in 2018.
Mei Mei Luo, the group’s founder and first violinist, has long participated in Florida’s concert life as concertmaster for both Orchestra Miami and Miami City Ballet’s Opus One Orchestra; she joined the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival roster in 2000 and held the assistant concertmaster chair with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra until its 2003 dissolution. Valentin Mansurov, the second violinist, completed his training in Uzbekistan, Turkey, France, and Canada, then established himself in Florida through positions with the Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Atlantic Classical Orchestra, and Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra. Violist Felicia Besan, born in Moldova and later based in Bucharest, Romania, earned her music degree from Lynn University in Boca Raton in 2011 and has appeared in chamber settings at England’s Manchester International Festival. Cellist Claudio Jaffé, originally from Brazil, obtained four degrees at Yale University and serves as principal cellist for the Florida Grand Opera and the Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra while having acted as dean of Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music.
The quartet schedules multiple concerts each season at sites such as Palm Beach Atlantic University, the Colony Hotel in Delray Beach, All Saints Episcopal Church, and Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, regularly featuring internationally recognized guest artists and preceding each work with spoken commentary rather than the conventional impersonal format. It has documented its work on the Centaur and Naxos labels, issuing a collection of Richard Danielpour string quartets on the latter imprint in 2018.
Albums
