Toomai Quintet x Rites of Spring
Photo by Rob Lehmann Photography
On Saturday, September 13, the North Fork Arts Center welcomed the Toomai String Quintet as part of the Rites of Spring Music Festival. The program celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with music from Cuba, Mexico, and beyond, featuring works by early 20th-century composers Ernesto Lecuona and Manuel Ponce alongside contemporary pieces by Tania León, Paquito D’Rivera, and Adonis Gonzalez-Matos.
Now in its tenth season, the Rites of Spring Music Festival brings world-class musicians to unique venues across the East End, creating intimate and inspiring encounters between artists and audiences. The festival’s mission—to explore the intersection of music, art, and place—aligns beautifully with NFAC’s own vision of connecting culture and community.
Photo by Rob Lehmann Photography
Formed at The Juilliard School in 2007, the Toomai Quintet—Emilie-Anne Gendron and Alex Fortes on violin, George Meyer on viola, Hamilton Berry on cello, and Andrew Roitstein on bass—brought warmth, humor, and insight to every piece. Audience members praised “the extraordinary breadth of the music and the brilliant playing of the musicians,” and noted how “the venue was lovely and the music was really special.”
Captured beautifully by Rob Lehmann Photography, the evening reflected both the ensemble’s curiosity and NFAC’s welcoming atmosphere. The Toomai String Quintet reminded us how music can transcend borders and bring people together through shared experience and discovery.
