The group has been hailed by critics as having a 鈥渞are鈥� and 鈥渋nvigorating鈥� sound that composers like Mozart and Brahms would feel proud to have influenced. But don鈥檛 label the music that Quattro produces classical. Or pop. Or jazz.
鈥淧opzzical,鈥� a genre the foursome created to define their unique combination of sounds,
is a blend of the classical style cellist Giovanna Moraga Clayton and violinist Lisa
Dondlinger were trained to play; the rock/pop/jazz influences that Berklee- trained
guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno grew up listening to; and the Latin sound that percussionist
Jorge Villanueva studied.
鈥淲e鈥檝e all worked on our crafts for over three decades and really come together as
studio musicians first,鈥� says Clayton, a former 老司机视频 student who joined the
Seaver College music faculty this year as an adjunct professor. 鈥淲e all have different
tunes and, with Quattro, are able to really show what we do on our instruments and
vocally.鈥�
鈥淏ut,鈥� she continues, 鈥渋t鈥檚 always surprising. People are never expecting what they
hear.鈥�
Though Clayton and Dondlinger knew each other from the classical realm and the studio
world, Quattro first came together for a fundraiser at Clayton鈥檚 home, where the ensemble
discovered that the blending of their disparate styles was worth pursuing.
Time passed and personal projects interrupted rehearsal schedules. One year after
their debut performance, and a month after their first rehearsal as a group, the ensemble
was hired for their first gig: playing a classical concert series. The audience reception
was too overwhelming to ignore.
鈥淧eople were going so crazy that we decided we needed to be something,鈥� recalls Dondlinger.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 necessarily setting out to form a band, but it worked out really well
and everybody loved the music, so we decided to keep it going.鈥�
鈥淚t was the first time that we really showcased what we had come up with together,鈥�
says Clayton, a familiar face in the Hollywood music scene. She regularly plays in
the Academy Awards and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestras, has recently recorded with
Barbra Streisand, Will.i.am, and Michael Bubl茅, and is credited on blockbuster films
Rio 1 and2 andEpic. She is also the principal cellist for the TV showMad Men.
鈥淭he audience started getting a feel for what it was that made the group really great.
It was a little nerve-racking, because we were all putting ourselves out there. We
all put our dreams up on that stage and waited to see what happened.鈥�
The foursome, all professional musicians in Los Angeles, tapped their own personal
connections with different musicians and concert organizations to expose their unique
sound to more audiences. After playing to enthusiastic crowds at jazz clubs and outdoor
festivals, the group launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first album, Poppzical, which was released in April of 2013. That year Quattro鈥檚 unique sound earned them
a nomination for 鈥淏est New Artist鈥� at the Latin Grammy Awards.
For violinist and vocalist Dondlinger, who has worked with musicians such as Celine
Dion and has performed on the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and shows like American
Idol and Dancing with the Stars, the recognition was the highlight of her musical
career.
鈥淔or many years I鈥檝e been a studio and backing musician for other artists,鈥� she says.
鈥淲ith Quattro it was the first time that I was able to step forward and be the artist
myself. That was a huge turning point for me.鈥�
The classically trained violinist also spends one day a week teaching violin at Seaver
College.
鈥淭eaching is so special because I was lucky to have amazing teachers growing up,鈥�
Dondlinger explains. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great way for me to give back to the musical community.
I鈥檓 able to assess these students one-on-one and get involved in their musical lives,
sometimes a bit of their personal lives, and help shape them into young adults. It鈥檚
a really, really amazing experience to be a part of that.鈥�
As a band, Quattro is committed to giving back to the community and takes great pride
in their philanthropy.
Among their many fundraising events, they have performed benefit concerts for the
Help Group, the largest nonprofit organization in Los Angeles that serves special
needs children and their families, a cause close to Dondlinger鈥檚 heart.
鈥淢y son has autism, so that event was very important to me,鈥� she explains. 鈥淓ntire
families got up and did conga lines and danced. It was an environment where the kids
could be completely comfortable to do whatever the music made them feel. It was so,
so special.鈥�
Beyond their day jobs, which keep them plenty occupied, Quattro constantly seeks opportunities
to continue to build on the impressive momentum they have already achieved as a group.
鈥淲e start to wonder, 鈥楬ow can we get this going again? How can we keep it moving?鈥�
but the minute we start playing together, it鈥檚 completely clear,鈥� says Dondlinger.
鈥淲e have a great time, we start making new music,and we go through the music we鈥檝e
already done and make it better so that every concert is better than the last.鈥�
Clayton enthuses, 鈥淧eople feel it and it鈥檚 infectious, and when you can make other
people feel something鈥攈opefully something good鈥攊t really speaks volumes for what it
is that you鈥檙e doing.鈥�