Fact Sheet

(Feb 13, 2004)

Sonos is recognized by the public and their peers as America's premier professional handbell ensemble.

Sonos Performances

Commissioned and performed the first major work for handbells and orchestra with Maestro Michael Morgan and Oakland Symphony. William Ludtke's Suite for Handbells and Orchestra received pre-concert publicity and rave reviews by all of the Bay Area's major news media. Other symphonic works have been commissioned and are scheduled for future performances, including nationally ranked young composer, Libby Larsen.

The World Premiere of William Ludtke's Symphony No. 3 with the Oakland East Bay Symphony in February of 1997 received critical acclaim.

Sonos makes national tours and at home plays in many of the major venues of San Francisco Bay Area, including Davies Hall with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and the San Jose Performing Arts Center with the San Jose Symphony. They routinely receive standing ovations for their performances.

The December 1998 concert for UCLA Arts was almost sold out the first day tickets went on sale in July and they were asked to add a second performance on the series.

In 2001, Sonos premiered the first major work written for handbells and mezzo-soprano, Hell's Belles, by American composer, Libby Larsen. Guest Artist for the concerts was world-reknowned operatic star Frederica von Stade.

The June 2000 performance of Jaron Lanier's Navigator Tree (2000) is featured in a film for PBS by Twin Cities Public Television. The documentary, "Continental Harmony," is now airing on PBS stations nationwide and has already an audience of over 55 million households. The film has won a coveted CINE Golden Eagle award and includes interviews with the composer and Sonos Music Director, James Meredith

Two International Tours to Japan, December 2002 and 2003, included 16 engagements on major concert and symphony halls series presented by Nippon Artists Management, Inc.

Commissioned the first major work from Daniel Feinsmith for string quartet and bells, which will premiere January 15, 2005 with the Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet.

Sonos Recordings

Recorded (Well-Tempered Productions) the first American handbell CD commercially produced and nationally distributed (Tower, Blockbuster, Wherehouse, Musicland, Sam Goody's, Borders, Virgin, Public Radio Music Source, Best Buy, Planet Music and many others). Recorded at the famous scoring stage, Skywalker Sound, a division of Lucas Digital Services, Marin County, California. Dubbed "sensational" by the San Francisco Examiner, it was Allegro's (the distributor's) bestseller, Fall of 1994.

Recorded a second CD (Well-Tempered Productions) of Christmas music from around the world, Christmas with Sonos Handbell Ensemble, at Skywalker Sound. Called "a feast of glorious tintinabulation" by the San Francisco Examiner, this album was Allegro's best-selling Christmas disc, Winter 1995. Sold in all major stores nationwide.

A third CD (Well-Tempered Productions) released in October 1996, features major works of Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart in new transcriptions by Sonos' Music Director, James Meredith.

A fourth CD, "Christmas Around the World", produced by National Public Radio, a compilation CD of guests who have appeared on "Performance Today", relesed in October 1999.

Recorded a surround sound demo video for the Bose Corporation to play in in-store theaters worldwide. Other artists performing on the project include Yo Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin and the Cincinnati Pops.

A fifth CD compilation of all the artists from the Bose recording released in September 2000.

Sonos' sixth CD (Well-Tempered Productions), A Very Classical Christmas, recorded at Skywalker Sound, features seasonal music of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart and Tchaikovsky and was released in the Summer of 2001.

Space Between the Notes, a ground-breaking concert video exploring bells in different spaces was released in 2003.

Grants

Major philanthropic foundations have supported Sonos including the California Arts Council, the Zellerbach Foundatioin, the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation and most recently the National Endowment for the Arts "Continental Harmony Grant" in a joint venture with the American Composers Forum as part of the White House Millenium Project, one of only 58 such grants nationwide; most recently, a NEA grant to tour the program "Runaway Child", the life and musical adventures of a Catalonian pianist/composer, Isaac Albeniz

Industry Recognition

Sonos' first CD was chosen "Disc of the Month" by classical station KFUO-FM in St. Louis and appeared in the November issue of Gramophone Magazine. KFUO's Music Director, Jim Connett, called the disc "mind-blowing, both in performance and engineering."

First handbell CD aired nationally on over 100 classical and NPR stations.

Christmas with Sonos, chosen "Disc of the Month" for December 1995 by San Francisco's classical station KDFC, appeared in the December issue of Gramophone Magazine. KDFC's Program Director, Tyler Phelps, spoke of the group as an ensemble with "such an incredible smoothness and precision." He called the disc "the perfect combination of pure virtuosity and kitsch."

A Very Classical Christmas was chosen by National Public Radio's Weekend Edition as one of five "Picks of the Season." The New York Times WQXR recommended it as one of their favorites of the season. The Los Angeles Times called it "astonishingly even and balanced, and varied in color and articulation."

Sonos Attracts National Media

Performed to an international TV audience of over 40 million in two appearances at California's famed Crystal Cathedral

NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, Christmas morning