Soni Ventorum Longest-serving Members Felix Skowronek (1935–2006), Flute Laila Storch (1921–2022), Oboe William McColl (1933–2024), Clarinet Arthur Grossman, Bassoon David Kappy, HornPrior Membership James Caldwell (1939–2006), Oboe, member from 1962 to 1965 Christopher Leuba (Pictured in photo above), horn, member from 1962 to 1963 and from 1968 through 1979 Robert Bonnevie, horn, member from 1963 to 1967 Alex Klein, oboe, member from 1992 to 1994 Rebecca Henderson, oboe, member from 1996 to 1998 Peter Kern, Flute, member from 1966 to 1968 Sidney Rosenberg, bassoon, member, 1977 – 1978 season David Sternbach, horn, member, 1967–1968 season Dan Williams, oboe, member, 1995–1996 season Tad Margelli, oboe, frequent guest Websitewww.soniventorum.com

The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet was an American wind quintet that was officially founded in 1962 when Pablo Casals asked its members to become the woodwind faculty of his newly founded Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. It is known worldwide for its many international tours sponsored by the United States Department of State including three tours of South America and three of Europe. Over 25 original chamber works for winds have been written for the members of Soni Ventorum including compositions by Claude Arrieu, William Bergsma, Jean Francaix, Gerald Kechley, Joseph Goodman, John Verrall, and William O. Smith. In 1972 the quintet won the silver medal at the International Instrumental Ensembles Competition (Festival Villa-Lobos) in Rio de Janeiro.

The group had a long and stable history. Through its concerts, tours, and recordings, the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet established an international reputation. For many years (beginning in 1968) Soni Ventorum was also the wind quintet-in-residence at the University of Washington School of Music.Lyden, M. C. (2000). The story of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet.

History The quintet was founded in 1962 by Felix Skowronek, William McColl, Arthur Grossman, James Caldwell, and Christopher Leuba. Skowronek, McColl, and Grossman had been in the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s and had formed the Seventh Army Wind Quintet. Members of the ensemble were on faculty at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, members of the Puerto Rico Symphony, and participants in the annual Casals Festival. During its years in Puerto Rico, the quintet went on several concert tours to the US mainland, which led to recording opportunities with the Lyrichord label.

In 1968 Soni Ventorum was hired by the University of Washington School of Music as the resident Woodwind Quintet. The group was active through June 2001.

Discography YearTitleGenreLabelNotes1963Works by Mozart and Villa-LobosClassical LPLyrichord LLST 7168Reviewed: The New Records, March 1965; Audio, April 19651964"A Festival of Winds," Works by Hamerik and MorrisClassical LPDesto 6401Featuring the Soni Ventorum Quintet and the New York Brass Quintet1964"Music for the Musical Clock" Works by Beethoven and Haydn, arr. SkowronekClassical LPLyrichord LLST 7143Reviewed: The New Records, July 1965; High Fidelity, November 1965; The Grammophone, May 1967; Records and Recordings, September 19671965Music of Walter Piston, Ernst Krenek and Joseph GoodmanClassical LPLyrichord LLST 7158Reviewed: High Fidelity, October 1966; Saturday Review (listed in "Year's Best Recordings"), November, 19661968Electro-Vibrations: the Music of John EatonClassical LPDecca DL71065Microtonal techniques1969Quintets by Reicha and DanziClassical LPLyrichord LLST 7216Reviewed: The New Records, May 19701970Cambini: Trois Quintetti ConcertansClassical LPRavenna RAVE701The New Records, July 1973; High Fidelity and Musical America, August 19721972"Soni Ventorum Plays Poulenc and Villa-Lobos"Classical LPMusical Heritage Society MHS3187Also released as a reel-to-reel 7.5 IPS 4-track Barclay-Crocker tape, MHS C3187 1972"Soni Ventorum Plays Villa-Lobos"Classical LPRavenna RAVE702Reviewed: High Fidelity and Musical America, May 1973; Stereo Review,May 1973 "Recording of special merit"1972Two Quintets by Anton ReichaClassical LPMusical Heritage Society MHS 32481975Two Quintets by Franz DanziClassical LPCrystal S 251Reviewed: The New Records, June 1976. Re-released in 2011 in CD format1976"Winds from the Northwest"Classical LPCrystal S 351Flute and Bassoon. Reviewed: The New Records, June 19761977Quintets by Paul Taffanel, Jean Martinon and Claude ArrieuClassical LPCrystal S 253Reviewed: The New Records, September 1978; Fanfare, Jan./Feb., 1979; Consumers' Research, January 1979. The Taffanel quintet was re-released in 2011 in CD format.1978Works by Françaix, Arrieu, Ketting and GersterClassical LPCrystal S 254Reviewed: The Clarinet, Winter 1983; The New Records, July 1981; Cosmopolitan, June 19811980"Music of Joseph Goodman and Joseph Alexander"Classical LPSerenus Recorded Editions SRS 12097Reviewed: Fanfare, July/August 1882; The New Records, May 19821981Four Quintets of Franz DanziClassical LPMusical Heritage Society MHS 4621Reviewed: Fanfare, May/June 19821981"Music for Woodwinds, Chamber Ensemble and Voice" Works by W.O. Smith, Diane Thom and Joseph GoodmanClassical LPCrystal S 257With Montserrat Alavedra, soprano. Reviewed: The Clarinet, Spring 1984; The New Records, February 19841981Quintets by Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, Irving Fine and Joseph GoodmanClassical LPMusical Heritage Society MHS 4782FReviewed: Fanfare, March/April 19841981"Two Quintets for Piano and Winds" The Mozart and Beethoven QuintetsClassical LPMusical Heritage Society MHS 43751982Quintets by Carl Nielsen and Jean FrançaixClassical LP and CDMusical Heritage Society MHS 7132K1984Works by Bergsma, Goodman, Zaninelli and EtlerClassical LPCrystal S 258Reviewed: The New Records, October 1985; Ovation, November 1985; Fanfare, November/December 1985; American Record Guide, January/February 19861985"Six Works for Wind Quintet" Quintets by Ibert, Hindemith and Milhaud plus encores by Rimski-Korsakov, Fučik and BlanchetClassical LPMusical Heritage Society MHS 7364L1986Six Quartets of Rossini and Twelve Bagatelles of MayrClassical 2-LP setMusical Heritage Society MHS 922024A1990"Soni Ventorum Plays Works of Jean Françaix and Ronald Roseman"Classical CDMusical Heritage Society 512759Y1992Schoenberg Quintet, Op. 26 and W.O.Smith, Jazz Set for Wind Quintet and Solo ViolinClassical CDMusical Heritage Society 51422KWith Aloysia Friedmann, Violin2011"Danzi and Taffanel. Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet"Classical CDCrystal CD 251Digitized remastering. Reviewed: Instrumentalist, July 2011; De Klarinet (Netherlands), July/August 2011; Fluit (Netherlands), September 2011; Fanfare, January/February 2012; The Horn Call, February 2012; The Flutist Quarterly, Fall 2011; Audiophile Audition – Classical Reissues, February 24, 2012; The Double Reed, Quarterly Journal of the International Double Reed Society Vol. 35 . No.1 July 20122013"Music for the Musical Clock – Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart"Classical mp3Lyrichord LYR 6018Digitized remastering of Lyrichord LLST 7143 and part of LLST 7168. mp3 download only. Reviewed: MusicWeb International, 2013–20142013"Joseph Goodman – Walter Piston – Ernst Krenek – Heitor Villa-Lobos"Classical mp3Lyrichord LYR 6924Digitized remastering of Lyrichord LLST 7158 and part of LLST 7168. mp3 download only.2013Quintets by Reicha and DanziClassical mp3Lyrichord LYR 6020Digitized remastering of Lyrichord LLST 7216. mp3 download only. Reviewed: MusicWeb International, 2013–2014

References

External links

The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet