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Spring arts 2018: Meet classical musician Angela Choong

Violist Angela Choong is a member of the Hausmann Quartet, which continues its Haydn Voyages Series on May 6.
Violist Angela Choong is a member of the Hausmann Quartet, which continues its Haydn Voyages Series on May 6.
(Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Even when battling a cold and sleep deprivation, Hausmann Quartet violist Angela Choong is cheerfully enthusiastic when talking about her ensemble’s busy schedule for spring.

As San Diego State University’s faculty Artists-in-Residence, the Hausmann Quartet leads the SDSU chamber-music program, which involves teaching, working with other departments and visiting local schools. The quartet also presents free concerts and does community outreach. Its popular “Haydn Voyages” concert series aboard the Berkeley, an 1898 steam ferryboat docked in San Diego Bay, continues on May 6.

And, for Choong and her husband — Hausmann Quartet-mate and first violinist Isaac Allen — a brand new baby is in the mix. She gave birth to their son, Ari, in January.

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“I was shell-shocked for the first month, but it’s getting better now,” Choong, 37, said from her home in Rolando, near SDSU. “We had a concert last week and I’m back to teaching again. People had warned us about the sleep deprivation, but I wasn’t ready for the reality of it.”

Ari joins four other Hausmann offspring. Violinist Bram Goldstein has two school-age children, while cellist Alex Greenbaum has a toddler and a baby.

Violinists Goldstein and Allen co-founded the quartet in 2004. Choong, who played violin more than viola, met the group around that time. She and Allen got married, but she didn’t join until four years later.

“We were based in Kent, Ohio, and they were seeking a new violist,” Choong recalled. “Concerts came up and the quartet needed someone to fill in. I joined temporarily. But, it turned out to be a good match, so what was temporary became relatively long-lasting.

“I had played viola for fun and hadn’t delved into the repertoire. It was challenging in the beginning because it was such a quick switch. But I love the viola now. I still play violin, but am more comfortable in the realm and range of the viola.”

Choong was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Her mother was an opera singer, so music lessons started at a young age. At age 10 or 11, Choong was introduced to chamber music by one of her music teachers. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Ohio State University in Columbus and advanced degrees from Florida State University in Tallahassee and Kent State.

Named after Robert Hausmann, a distinguished 19th century German cellist, the quartet has created several programs since arriving here in 2010, both under SDSU’s auspices and as a nonprofit.

“When we moved to San Diego, we wanted to find our place in the community,” Choong said. “We have a chamber-music program for children, age 12 through high school, that’s on the weekends year-round.

“We also have `jam sessions’ where we collaborate with San Diego Rescue Mission and musical therapists. It’s a drum circle with string quartet and a really rewarding experience.”

In addition, the Hausmann Quartet Music Program (HCMP) conducts a “Living Room Program,” in private residences that allows amateur musicians to meet and practice with Hausmann members.

The seventh annual HCMP Summer Festival for youth and adults will be at SDSU, from June 18 to 23. It includes free masterclasses and concerts open to public.

For the Haydn Voyages on May 6, the Hausmann Quartet will not only play Haydn. For the performance aboard the Berkeley, and most likely its Central Library Concert Series finale on May 27, the musicians will start with sections from “Company” by Philip Glass and “Chambers,” by Marcos Balter, both living composers.

“As we go through Haydn cycle, we mix it with modern pieces,” Choong explained. “It provides a new way of listening to contemporary pieces as well as to Haydn.

“There are so many different ways to tie the pieces together. We use Google Docs to brainstorm for program ideas. We explore the way the three composers form structures — the atmospheres they create. We have an early and mid-Haydn, so you can hear how he’s experimenting.

“Glass originally based his piece on (author) Samuel Beckett. He has a distinct style and uses minimalist arpeggios. Balter’s is a wild exploration of what you can do with texture. When you put these pieces together it’s a kaleidoscope effect.”

Hausmann Quartet: Haydn Voyages Series

When: 4 p.m. May 6

Where: Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, downtown

Tickets: $25-$50, discounts available

Phone: (619) 432-2314

Online: hausmannquartet.com

Hausmann Quartet: Central Library Concert Series finale

When: 2:30 p.m. May 27

Where: Neil Morgan Auditorium, San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., San Diego

Tickets: Free

Phone: (619) 432-2314

Online: hausmannquartet.com (and for other free Hausmann Quartet concerts at the Central Library this spring)

Wood is a freelance writer.

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