CANDLELIGHT ILLUMINATION: THE SOUNDS OF KREATIVE HARMONY

by Dave Friant

It was a 2025 Christmas gift from my youngest granddaughter. Ella, the artsy one from Texas State University, who's carefully considered gift-giving practices continue to impress. Three tickets to a Kreative Harmony string quartet concert at The Joules, an upscale Dallas hotel. The renown group known for their mastery of diverse genres of melodious compositions. Popular songs by Abba and Queen were the scheduled highlights for our night.

I was fortunate enough to spend 60 or so enjoyable minutes with two of the four Kreative Harmony principals earlier this Spring. An effort to further explore on-line bios as well as the uniqueness of their approach to various musical genres through string instruments was the basis for our time together.

Formulation of Kreative Harmony took place in 2024 and was the vision of Jonathan Chern, the accomplished 33-year-old violinist who leads the assembly of talent. Other members of the quartet include Tess Kent, Arthur Busby, and Wanlin Cui. In addition to 600-plus performances since inception at weddings, corporate events, and private concerts, the quartet delightfully strum their stringed instruments in perfect unison at various venues with the Dallas Candlelight Concert Series. Attendees range from music aficionados to “newbies” desiring to experience popular genres of music with classical chamber emphases. Modern pop and rock ‘n’ roll. Movie and alternative soundtracks. Variations on particular themed nights run the gamut.

The presentations for the Candlelight Concert Series are more intimate in nature; typically 60-75 minutes in length with smaller crowds ranging from between 150 to 300 in number. Ages of guests vary immensely depending upon the genre for the evening. Each of the four performers take turns with a passed around microphone during interludes and share general interest information about themselves and the provided selections.

Chern was born in Dallas and currently resides in Allen. He began playing the violin at the age of 3. His commitment to sharing sounds from the stringed instrument was the basis for his decision to pursue music professionally beyond high school. Chern has both an undergraduate and Master of Music degree from the prestigious Jacobs School of Music. He has studied with the giants of string-related music for most of his career, including membership in the New World Symphony and being a concertmaster at the National Orchestral Institute. While not practicing his art daily for several hours alone or with the group, Chern shares his talent teaching students. His priorities are “family-first” with the remainder of free time spent playing chess or hitting Steph Curry-like jump shots with competitive friends on the basketball court.

Tess Kent is the cellist with the group of four and is Canadian by birth. She too is 33 years old and also started with her mastery of the strings at the age of 3. Kent has four siblings and comes from a family who all enjoy the highlights of music through active participation. In terms of a career playing the cello, Kent indicates her parents “always wanted me to be happy. There was never any pushback.” She departed the land of “eh” while in her mid-20’s and has been a Dallasite since. Tess has multiple advanced degrees in music, continues to teach cello recurrently in the midst of quartet concerts throughout the country, and for the last five years has been active in practicing and teaching the “gentle art” of Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. Additionally, she has a special bond with her dog, Coda.

Kent suggests that “skills are developed with lots of hard work and are not necessarily genetic.” She additionally recalls a prior professor citing “A-level attitudes” as being crucial to success. Chern likes to call “audibles” during performances, unbeknownst to the audiences, and notes that they are “always making micro adjustments to make the presentations better.”

I’ve been culturally malnourished for nearly the entirety of my life. Under no circumstances was there any basis for an accusation of having sophisticated tastes musically. A string quartet concert on a Saturday night in Dallas had never activated the switch of interest. I’m certain that the diminished amount of curiosity with the Kreative Harmony group was based on prior forced attendances at highbrow stuff; lengthy presentations of classical Mozart and Beethoven pieces where profound musical “aha” moments are conveyed to listeners.

At my age where degrees of wonderment seem to be fewer and fewer, an experience that challenged my pre-conceived notions of stringed instrument talent came to the foreground. A circular stage. Hundreds of artificially lit candles providing just the right amount of light. For the most part a quiet crowd. The prospect of making the night bearable was led by music originating from two of my favorite groups.

Could they pull it off? Conjure up an experience that shook my hesitation about four performers being able to hold my interest for an hour with their stringed instruments?

Undeniably yes! The sounds and timing were as near to that notion of perfect as one could imagine. Exceptional recalls to the groups whose music they were playing. Toe-tapping by the audience. Nods of support and smiles galore. A cultural experience to be sure.