George Dumitriu – violin
Pablo Rodriguez – violin
Yanna Pelser – viola
Thomas van Geelen – cello
Chamber jazz, folk fusion, world music improvisers – the NORTH SEA STRING QUARTET from Rotterdam is considered one of the most exciting and innovative in its genre and has already experienced many attempts at definition.
In the end, none of them quite capture the compositions of violinists George Dumitriu and Pablo Rodríguez as well as Yanna Pelser on viola and Thomas van Geelen on cello, which are inspired by classical, world, folk and jazz music and are always open to improvisation. Using new playing techniques, they transfer music to the string quartet format that one would not have thought possible – and they really groove in the process.
So it’s no surprise that “Strings that make you move” has become the quartet’s motto! The current album SPLUNGE (7 Mountain Records, 2024), a spectacular demonstration of the art of technical transformation, entices the listener to jump into free improvisation, whose supporting structure is often syncopated drum & bass beats, which in turn are considered a polyrhythmic techno derivative and here come from Rodríguez’ electronic stompbox. Then again, choppy pizzicati take over the stage to not only hint at bebop-like rhythms. Percussive impulses dominate elsewhere too, coming not only from the strings but also from the corpora of the instruments. Despite all the impulsive joy of playing, the NORTH SEA STRING QUARTET always succeeds in sounding like a single, organically grown body instead of four individuals.
“And there was a real joy and fantastic empathy in the way North
Sea String Quartet combined compositions and improvisation.”
Ukjazznews.com
BIOGRAPHS
George Dumitriu is a versatile musician with roots in Romania and lives in Amsterdam. As a classically trained violinist, he has won over 15 national and international prizes. He completed his training at the National Music University of Bucharest and later as a jazz guitarist in Groningen (Huygens Scholarship), New York and at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he worked intensively with live electronics. His artistic work moves between composition, improvisation and sound research.
With his trio DUMItRIO he released the albums Future Nostalgia (2014) and Proverbe (2017, TryTone). The ensemble is currently working on the video series soFar soNear with changing guest artists. His solo project Monk on Viola opens up an experimental chamber music perspective on the work of Thelonious Monk.
Born on La Palma (Canary Islands), Pablo Rodríguez began playing the violin at the age of six. A formative experience was his first encounter with a recording of Stéphane Grappelli, which his sister gave him – and which awakened his enthusiasm for improvisation and jazz. Since then, he has continuously developed his own musical language on the violin, inspired by jazz, but also influenced by flamenco, folk and Latin American music.In addition to his classical training in Madrid with Alfredo García Serrano, Pablo studied at the renowned Codarts Rotterdam music academy. There he completed his Master’s degree in Latin Jazz.His playing has taken him to national and international stages, including:Mercat de la Música Viva de Vic, Amsterdam Music Festival, Ateneo de Madrid, Auditorio de Tenerife, Escola Tom Jobim (Brazil).Pablo Rodríguez is a versatile and sought-after collaborator whose music moves between tradition and experimentation – always in search of personal expression in dialog with other cultures and genres.
When Yanna Pelser, born in Delft, heard Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” at the age of five, her love of music began. As a young violinist, she played in various (youth) orchestras and in major European concert halls, developing into a versatile orchestral and chamber musician at an early age.At the age of 14, she finally swapped the violin for the viola – fascinated by the warm, deep sound of the instrument.During her classical viola studies at the conservatories in Rotterdam, Tilburg and Detmold, Yanna realized that her voice combines particularly well with the sound of the viola. So she began to combine the two – and developed her own form of expression as a singing violist. She is currently working on her debut album, which will focus on this special combination.In addition to classical music, Yanna is equally passionate about jazz, pop and world music. She is a member of the jazz sextet Ikarai and the Brainteaser Orchestra and has worked with artists such as Duncan Laurence, Karsu and Celine Cairo.Yanna is also in demand in the studio – she has been involved in recordings for David Guetta and Céline Dion, among others.
Born in Tilburg, Thomas van Geelen started playing the cello at the age of ten. While still at school, he developed a passion for other types of music – especially progressive rock. He learned to play the guitar, played in bands and accompanied singer-songwriters. While studying journalism, he developed the desire to make music his profession.He studied classical cello at the conservatory in Tilburg, took part in master classes given by leading cellists and won several prizes in chamber music and band competitions. At the same time, he became increasingly interested in jazz and took lessons from renowned jazz musicians. After completing his master’s degree in Tilburg, he continued his studies at the conservatory in Rotterdam, specializing in jazz. As a sought-after substitute, he regularly plays with the award-winning Metropole Orkest. He is also a member of the cross-genre formation Coal Harbour and the Bartolotti Ensemble for Early Music.Thomas is also active in the studio: he has worked on productions by David Guetta and David Garrett, among others.
