In celebration of the courage, patience and resilience displayed by people in times of great difficulty, ETHEL, the Grammy-winning, genre-defying string quartet, joins forces with Allison Loggins-Hull, composer, flutist, producer and Daniel R. Lewis Composer Fellow to the Cleveland Orchestra on the album Persist.

Together, they have elicited new commissions from four brilliant early-career composers: Migiwa “Miggy” Miyajima, Xavier Muzik, Sam Wu and 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist Leilehua Lanzilotti. Loggins-Hull herself contributed her own masterwork to the project. Passionate, committed, hopeful and inspiring, each piece contributes to an experience which surpasses the sum of its parts.

Taking its title from Loggins-Hull’s quintet, Persist marks the fifth iteration of HomeBaked, ETHEL’s commissioning program for early-career composers. The initiative, begun in 2010, has commissioned and debuted 20 works by 16 early-career artists. Loggins-Hull teamed with ETHEL to solicit, select and collaborate with composers from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Supported by two NEA grants, the program was premiered in 2022 at Brooklyn Public Library, and will tour in 2024-25.

Sono Luminus says “Ethel continues to be one of the finest string quartets performing today, and showcases not only their talent, but their commitment to diversity and equality with this record we’re sure you’ll enjoy.”

ETHEL
Ralph Farris, Viola
Kip Jones, Violin
Dorothy Lawson, Cello
Corin Lee, Violin

With Very Special Guest
Allison Loggins-Hull, Flute