To the Hands features the participation of the following musicians of Delirium Musicum:
Etienne Gara, Violin and Artistic Director
YeuEun Kim, Violin
SungJin Lee, Viola
Javier Iglesias Martin, Cello
Ryan Baird, Bass

Delirium Musicum, founded in 2018 by violin virtuoso Etienne Gara, harnesses the artistic excellence, energy, and leadership of a generation of young musicians in Los Angeles who are forging a rich musical identity nourished by the city’s bustling artistic mosaic and boundary-bending vibe. Their diverse backgrounds (nine countries from four continents represented), their commitment to spontaneity, and the juxtaposition of music from all time periods allows the musicians to engage intimately with the audience to create profound human experiences.

Called “ferocious and rhythmically mesmerizing” by San Francisco Classical Voice, the musicians of Delirium Musicum are known for their out-of-the-box approach to programming and scintillating live performances. “This exciting young ensemble is a step ahead, ready for anything – virtuosic and versatile” (Los Angeles Times).

The orchestra’s wide-ranging mix of concert performances, tours, and creative musical projects reaches out to audiences of broad tastes and traditions. “Seasons,” the ensemble’s debut album with Warner Classics, was released in April 2023.

Recent projects include “Treelogy,” a collaboration with leading composers Billy Childs, Steven Mackey, and Gabriella Smith. The three-part work, commissioned by The Soraya in Los Angeles and premiered there in February 2023 before touring in California, produced three new commissions honoring the iconic California Joshua trees, giant sequoias, and redwoods that were devastated by recent wild fires. The LA Times called it a “sublime, classical ode to California’s redwoods, sequoias and Joshua trees.”

MusiKaravan, an earlier project, followed Gara and fellow violinist YuEun Kim as they took to the road in 2020 after COVID shut down concert venues around the world. Living and traveling in their 1971 VW bus, they spent six months performing socially-distanced concerts for farm workers, winemakers, random passersby – and the occasional ostrich - up and down the West Coast of the U.S., from the Mexican to the Canadian border. The experience and the music were captured on video for their award-winning streaming series “Musikaravan.” The project continues as duo and trio performances of lively repertoire and audience give-and-take.

Engaged in the musical, emotional, and cognitive development of future generations, “Baby Concerts”, with the support of University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute, offer a safe space for parents with infants and toddlers to share an interactive musical moment being introduced to melody, rhythm, music-making, and a short, lightly-curated performance.Delirium Musicum has received a string of awards, including a Global Music Awards Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement, and the 2020, 2021, and 2023 Audience Choice Awards from San Francisco Classical Voice in 3 different categories: Best Chamber Music Ensemble, Best New Music Ensemble, and Best Orchestral Performance for SEASONS at the Soraya in May 2023.

deliriummusicum.com