Current & Past Wooster Chamber Music Series Ensembles
Current: Emerson String Quartet | Colorado Quartet | Borealis Wind Quintet | Tokyo String Quartet
Anderson String Quartet | Juilliard String Quartet | Pacifica String Quartet
Past: Gryphon Trio | Aspen Ensemble | Talich Quartet | Joan Kwuon | Imani Winds | Daedalus Quartet
American String Quartet | Wihan Quartet | Wu Han & David Finckel | Häkan Rosengren | Chiara String Quartet | Concertante | Biava Quartet | Brentano String Quartet
2009-10
Emerson String Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Eugene Drucker, Violin; Philip Setzer, Violin; Lawrence Dutton, Viola; David Finkel, Cello
With more than three decades of extensive performance and recording activities, the Emerson String Quartet is one of the world's most highly accomplished chamber ensembles. They have performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, to consistently stellar reviews, and in the coming season alone will appear more than 90 times in engagements across the globe. Among the Quartet's many achievements are their complete cycles of the Beethoven, Bartók, and Shostakovich string quartets. In concert and in recording, they have become known for their groundbreaking chamber music projects, and have collaborated with some of the greatest artists of our time.
The Emerson Quartet has received eight Grammy Awards, including two for Best Classical Album (unprecedented for a chamber music group). Other awards include the Avery Fisher Prize, Musical America's "Ensemble of the Year" in 2000, a Smithson Award from the Smithsonian Institution, three Gramophone Magazine awards, and honors from the governor of Connecticut.
Colorado Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Julie Rosenfeld, violin; D. Lydia Redding, violin; Marka Gustavsson, viola; Diane Chaplin, cello
The Colorado Quartet is recognized on four continents as one of the finest string quartets on the international scene. Winners of both the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, their performances are noted for their musical integrity, impassioned playing and lyrical finesse.
Highlights of past years include tours of more than 20 countries and performances in major cities across the globe. New York appearances include the Mostly Mozart Festival, where they performed twenty Haydn Quartets over a two-year period, and concerts in Carnegie Hall and at Lincoln Center. The Quartet regularly performs the complete Beethoven Quartets, most recently in Berlin, making them the first female quartet to have performed the Beethoven cycle in both North America and in Europe. The Colorado Quartet commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bélá Bartók's death in 1995 with the first complete performance of the Bartók String Quartets to take place in Philadelphia.
Borealis Wind Quintet Official Web Site | Listen
Katherine Fink, flute; Tamar Beach Wells, oboe; Kathryn Taylor, clarinet; Wayne Hileman, bassoon; Dan Culpepper, horn
The Borealis Wind Quintet, nominated for a 2006 Grammy Award in the Chamber Music Category, is acclaimed as one of America's preeminent chamber ensembles. The highest musical integrity, irresistible energy and five-fold charisma distinguish Borealis in the chamber music field. Audiences love their exquisite programming that includes the finest of the classics, engaging commissioned works, opera arias and works for piano and winds.
The Washington Post praised their "sensitive collaborations that have a sophisticated and cosmopolitan air." Peter G. Davies of the New York Times described one concert as "a polished, elegantly turned performance...each work received lively, expert and musicianly treatment by this skilled and exceptionally talented chamber group." Joseph Horowitz, also of the New York Times describes "lively communicative readings...the performance was a scintillating one." The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that "they demonstrated the sort of rapport that characterizes the very best chamber playing."
Tokyo String Quartet Official Web Site
Martin Beaver, violin; Kikuei Ikeda, violin; Kazuhide Isomura, viola; Clive Greensmith, cello
The Tokyo String Quartet has captivated audiences and critics alike since it was founded close to 40 years ago. Regarded as one of the supreme chamber ensembles of the world, the Tokyo Quartet—Martin Beaver and Kikuei Ikeda (violins), Kazuhide Isomura (viola) and Clive Greensmith (cello)—has collaborated with a remarkable array of artists and composers, built a comprehensive catalogue of critically acclaimed recordings and established a distinguished teaching record. Performing over a hundred concerts worldwide each season, the quartet has a devoted international following that includes the major capitals of the world and extends to all four corners, from Australia to Estonia to Scandinavia and the Far East.
The Tokyo String Quartet has released more than 40 landmark recordings on BMG/RCA Victor Red Seal, Angel-EMI, CBS Masterworks, Deutsche Grammophon and Vox Cum Laude, including the complete quartets of Beethoven, Schubert and Bartók. The quartet's recordings of Brahms, Debussy, Dvorák, Haydn, Mozart, Ravel and Schubert have earned such honors as the Grand Prix du Disque Montreux, "Best Chamber Music Recording of the Year" awards from both Stereo Review and Gramophone magazines and seven Grammy nominations.
Anderson String Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Marianne Henry, Violin; Nicole Cherry, Violin; Diedra Lawrence, Viola; Prudence McDaniel, Cello
For nearly twenty years the Marian Anderson String Quartet has brought inspiration and hope to every segment of American society in performance venues ranging from the concert stage to the soup kitchens, from presidential inaugurals to juvenile correctional facilities. The Marian Anderson String Quartet continues to uphold its mission: To create new and diverse audiences for the field of chamber music.
On September 30, 1989 the members of the Marian Anderson String Quartet, then known as the Chaminade Quartet, came together; unaware that they would soon change history. In 1991, the Quartet won the International Cleveland Quartet Competition, becoming the first African American ensemble in history to win a classical music competition. To highlight this singular achievement the members of the quartet asked permission of the great contralto, Marian Anderson, to use her name as their own. Miss Anderson responded with heartfelt approval and, in a memorable show of gratitude, the Marian Anderson String Quartet played for its legendary namesake and her nephew, conductor James DePriest.
Juilliard String Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Joel Smirnoff, Violin; Ronald Copes, Violin; Joel Krosnick, Cello; Samuel Rhodes, Viola
The Juilliard String Quartet is internationally renowned and admired for performances characterized by a clarity of structure, beauty of sound, purity of line and an extraordinary unanimity of purpose. Celebrated for its performances of works by composers as diverse as Beethoven, Schubert, Bartók and Elliott Carter, it has long been recognized as the quintessential American string quartet.
The Juilliard is one of the most widely recorded contemporary string quartets. Associated with Sony Classical since 1949, it has more than 100 releases to its name. The group has received Grammy awards for recordings of the Beethoven quartets, the Schoenberg quartets, and the Debussy and Ravel string quartets. The Juilliard was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the National Academy for Recording Arts and Sciences in 1986, for its recording of the complete Bartok quartets, and in 1993 was awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the recording industry. In 1994, the Times of London named the Juilliard's recording of quartets by Ravel, Debussy, and Dutillex as one of the 100 best classical CDs ever recorded.
Pacifica String Quartet Official Web Site
Simin Ganatra, violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello
Recognized for its virtuosity, exuberant performance style, and often daring repertory choices, the Pacifica Quartet has carved out a compelling musical path. Formed in 1994, the ensemble quickly won top prizes in several leading international competitions, including the 1998 Naumburg Chamber Music Award. The Quartet was subsequently honored in 2002 with Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award and appointment to The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s CMS Two program for gifted young musicians. In May 2006, the Pacifica Quartet became only the second chamber music ensemble to be awarded a prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant.
Recently the Pacifica's recording of Elliott Carter's String Quartets Nos. 1&5 won the 2009 Grammy Award for "Best Chamber Music Performance", and the Quartet was honored as Musical America’s 2009 Ensemble of the Year.
Past Performers
Gryphon Trio Official Web Site
Annalee Patipatanakoon, violin; Roman Borys, cello; Jamie Parker, piano
Formed in 1993, the Gryphon Trio continues to delight audiences around the globe with their highly refined and dynamic performances. Based in Toronto, the Trio tours regularly throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. Their celebrated recordings include works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Lalo and Shostakovich. With a strong commitment to expanding the piano trio repertoire, the Trio has commissioned and premiered over 50 works. Their 2004 recording, Canadian Premieres, features the work of leading Canadian composers and was awarded a Juno. Their most recent recording, Tango Nuevo, features the music of Astor Piazzolla and Hilario Duran, and represents their tenth CD for the Analekta label.
Strongly dedicated to pushing the boundaries of chamber music, the Trio has collaborated on special projects with clarinetist James Campbell, actor Colin Fox, choreographer David Earle, and a host of jazz luminaries at Toronto’s Lula Lounge. Their most ambitious undertaking has been the groundbreaking multimedia production of Christos Hatzis’ Constantinople, which has been performed in Canada, the United States, and was presented by the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in England in 2006.
Aspen Ensemble Official Web Site
Rita Sloan, piano; Nadine Asin, flute; David Perry, violin; Victoria Chiang, viola; Michael Mermagen, cello
From the famed Aspen Music Festival come five acclaimed musicians united in their love for chamber music and their desire to bring unique, exciting programs to audiences around the world.
This quintet is one of the most innovative and exceptional chamber groups performing today. In a few short seasons The Aspen Ensemble has already established a winning reputation with audiences and presenters nationally and internationally.
All highly regarded solo artists, The Aspen Ensemble includes violinist David Perry, violist Victoria Chiang, cellist Michael Mermagen, flutist Nadine Asin, and pianist Rita Sloan.
Talich Quartet Official Web Site
Jan Talich, violin; Petr Macecek, violin; Vladimir Bukac, viola; Petr Prause, cello
The Talich Quartet is considered one of the world’s finest string quartets, particularly known for its interpretation of Czech music. Founded in 1964 by Jan Talich Sr., at the Prague Conservatoire, the Quartet was named for the founder’s uncle, renowned conductor Vaclav Talich. Other founding members were P. Messiereur, J. Kvapil, and E. Rattay. Since its beginnings, the Quartet has held an esteemed position among the world’s leading chamber ensembles.
During the 1990s, a gradual change of membership led to the current youthful incarnation of the Talich Quartet. Violinist Jan Talich Jr. is a descendant of the musical Talich family, and son of the ensemble’s founder. He performs on an Antonio Stradivari (1729). Petr Macecek’s violin is a Francesco Rugger (1694); violist Vladimir Bukac plays a Lorenzo Guadanini (1740); cellist Petr Prause plays a Giovanni Grancino (1710). This newer generation of the Talich Quartet has continued in the fine tradition of its elders, recording and performing around the world to great acclaim.
Joan Kwuon Official Web Site
Joan Kwuon is a vibrant, highly acclaimed violinist who consistently receives rave reviews from critics delighted by her fire, elegance, and commanding technique. She made her debut at the Tanglewood Music Festival upon the invitation of Sir André Previn, performing the Brahms Violin Concerto. Since then, she has continued to collaborate with Previn, both in recital and in appearances with various orchestras. Kwuon has performed as concerto soloist throughout the world, with orchestras that include the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Moscow State Radio Symphony, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, and more.
She has collaborated with many other renowned artists, including Cho-Liang Lin, Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, the Juilliard String Quartet, Bright Sheng, Gilbert Kalish, Heidi Grant Murphy, Vladimir Feltsman, and Tony Bennett. Ms. Kwuon is also the founder of the non-profit organization, Artists for Breast Cancer Survival, Inc., presenting a gala benefit concert titled Artists for the Cure at Carnegie Hall.
Imani Winds Official Web Site | Listen
Valerie Coleman, flute; Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe; Miriam Adam, clarinet; Jeff Scott, French horn; Monica Ellis, bassoon
Imani Winds are an exciting, spirited group who are stretching the definitions of woodwind chamber music, blending multiple genres from multiple cultures into a lively and unprecedented repertoire. Founded by flutist Valerie Coleman in 1997, the group has set out to change the face of classical music, with culturally compelling programming that illuminates a solid position in the arts for people of color.
The group is in the midst of its Legacy Commissioning Project, an ambitious five-year endeavor launching Imani Winds into its second decade of music making. The ensemble is commissioning, premiering and touring 10 new works for woodwind quintet written by established and emerging composers of various musical backgrounds. The select composers originate from different points of the globe bringing experience not only in classical music, but jazz, Middle Eastern, Latin, and harder to define sounds.
The name, Imani Winds, derives from the Swahili word for faith.
Daedalus Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Min-Young Kim, violin; Kyu-Young Kim, violin; Jessica Thompson, viola; Raman Ramakrishnan, cello
The Daedalus Quartet is a lively young group that has received a great deal of attention since its founding in 2000. It won the Grand Prize of the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2001, and Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award in 2007. The Daedalus Quartet was designated by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center as the Chamber Music Society Two quartet for last year's season and the year before. This is a residency program which offers high-profile performance opportunities, artist collaboration, and professional training to outstanding young performers in the early stages of major careers.
The group takes its name from Daedalus, the mythical Greek inventor, artist, and architect, known for creating the Labyrinth and for devising the wings with which he flew to freedom.
American String Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Peter Winograd, Violin; Laurie Carney, Violin; Daniel Avshalomov, Viola; Wolfram Koessel, cello
Over the span of more than three decades of performing, the American String Quartet has appeared in all fifty states and at major venues throughout the world to become internationally regarded as one of the finest quartets around. They have been widely acclaimed for their presentations of the complete quartets of Beethoven, Schubert, Schoenberg, Bartok, and Mozart. Their 1998 recording of the complete Mozart quartets was performed on a matched set of Stradivarius instruments, and helped set the standard for this repertoire.
The American String Quartet was formed in 1974, when the original members were students at the Juilliard School. The group marked its 30th anniversary with a new series of recordings on the Arabesque label, including quartets by Grammy Award winning composer Richard Danielpour and the launch of the Complete Brahms String Chamber Music. They have given numerous premieres of new music, including Danielpour’s Quartet No. 4, Curt Cacioppo’s “a distant voice calling,” and a 2001 recording of three quartets by Kenneth Fuchs.
Wihan Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Leos Cepicky, violin; Jan Schulmeister, violin; Jiri Zigmund, viola; Ales Kasprik, cello
The Wihan Quartet, formed in 1985, are heirs to the great Czech musical tradition. The Quartet’s outstanding reputation for the interpretation of its native Czech heritage and of the many classical, romantic and modern masterpieces of the string quartet repertoire is widely acknowledged.
They have developed an impressive international career, which includes visits to major festivals in Europe and the Far East. They visit the United States and Japan regularly and have had highly acclaimed tours of Australia and New Zealand. They are frequent visitors to the UK and can often be heard on BBC Radio 3 as well as in concert at Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, the South Bank and many other venues throughout the country.
The Wihan Quartet has won many International Competitions including The Prague Spring Festival and the Osaka ‘Chamber Festa’. In 1991, they won both the First Prize and the Audience Prize in the London International String Quartet Competition.
Wu Han & David Finckel Official Web Site | Listen
Wu Han, piano; David Finckel, cello
Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han rank among the most esteemed and influential classical musicians in the world today. Their appearances take them to the world’s most prestigious concert series and festivals as soloists, as a duo, and in David’s case, as cellist of the Emerson String Quartet. With repertoire spanning virtually the entire literature for cello and piano, and a commitment to new music, the duo premiered Pierre Jalbert’s Cello Sonata at the Aspen Music Festival in 2007-08, and will premiere a new work for cello and piano by award-winning composer George Tsontakis during the 2008-09 season.
David Finckel and Wu Han serve as Artistic Directors of both the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Music@Menlo, a Silicon Valley chamber music festival founded in 2003. They have released 10 critically acclaimed recordings on their own ArtistLed label, available at www.artistled.com. The two most recent additions to the ArtistLed catalogue feature David Finckel’s recording of the Dvorák Concerto and Augusta Read Thomas’s Ritual Incantations (world premiere recording), and Wu Han’s first full-length solo recording, “Russian Recital”, featuring works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Scriabin.
Häkan Rosengren Official Web Site
Clarinetist Häkan Rosengren has appeared as concerto soloist with orchestras throughout Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Israel, Brazil, and the United States. Conductors with whom he has performed include Esa-Pekka Salonen, Neeme Jarvi, Christopher Hogwood, and many others. Since his New York City debut in 1988, Mr. Rosengren has played recitals in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Asia, as well as performing at music festivals worldwide. He has played with a wide variety of recital partners and chamber ensembles, such as Barbara Hendricks, David Finckel, Anne Epperson, Per Enoksson, Georgian Quartet, Silesian Quartet, Solaris Quintet, and others.
Mr. Rosengren's repertoire includes all of the traditional works for clarinet solo and chamber music, as well as new music, with premieres of works by Poul Ruders, Anders Eliasson, Jan Sandstrom, Henrik Strindberg, Alexander Lason, Martin Willert, and Nikola Resanovic.
The Chiara String Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Jonah Sirato, viola; Gregory Beaver, cello;
Rebecca Fischer, violin; Julie Yoon, violin
The Chiara String Quartet are an exciting young group who have set out to expand the meaning of the term “chamber music,” not so much in the content of their repertoire, but in the settings where they perform it. Determined to reach new and younger audiences, the Chiara has adopted a "chamber music in any chamber" approach. They appear regularly in traditional concert halls, such as Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and the American Academy in Rome. But they also frequently perform in not-so-silent nightclubs and bars, where they consistently captivate both patrons and critics with music that is neither dumbed-down nor condescending.
The Chiara Quartet has earned glowing reviews from numerous publications, including the New York Times and Strings Magazine. They have received honors such as the Guarneri Quartet Residency Award for artistic excellence by Chamber Music America, and top prizes at the Paolo Borciani International Competition, the Astral Artistic Services National Audition, and the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.
Concertante Official Web Site
Alexis Pia Gerlach, cello; Ara Gregorian, viola; Zvi Plesser, cello; Ittai Shapira, viola; Rachel Shapiro, viola; Xiao-Dong Wang, violin
Concertante has acquired a sheen, warmth, and polish that are the hallmark of superb chamber music groups. Comprised of a core of six virtuoso string players, the group performs in varied combinations of instrumentalists. As solo performers who have won major national and international music competitions, they have graced the premier stages of the world from New York's Carnegie Hall to London's Royal Festival Hall to Shanghai's Grand Theatre. Concertante has performed a wide array of repertoire ranging from works by established masters to less commonly performed composers.
As an ensemble, Concertante has performed across America, gathering rave reviews from such publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post, and appearing on Minnesota Public Radio's St. Paul Sunday. Concertante performs regularly at Merkin Hall in New York City and at Rose Lehrman Arts Center in Harrisburg, PA.
Biava Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Austin Hartman, violin; Hyunsu Ko, violin; Mary Persin, viola; Gwendolyn Krosnick, cello
The Biava Quartet is recognized as one of today’s most exciting and accomplished young American string quartets. Winner of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award and top prizes at the Premio Borciani and London International Competitions, the Quartet has established an enthusiastic following in the United States and abroad, impressing audiences with its sensitive artistry and communicative powers. Formed in 1998 at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Quartet takes its name from Maestro Luis Biava, a mentor since its inception.
The Biava Quartet has recorded for the Naxos and Cedille labels and has been heard on London's BBC Radio 3, NPR, American Public Media's Performance Today, as well as in frequent national broadcasts. The Quartet has been featured in Strings and Strad magazines and has been the subject of a PBS documentary film.
Brentano String Quartet Official Web Site | Listen
Mark Steinberg, violin; Serena Canin, violin; Misha Amory, viola; Nina Marie Lee, cello
The Brentano String Quartet, founded in 1992, has performed all over the U.S. and Europe. Earning exceptional reviews from all quarters, the Quartet has been praised for its remarkable command both of the great classics and of contemporary music. The group takes its name from Antonie Brentano, who is reputed to have been Beethoven's mysterious "Immortal Beloved."
Within a few years of its formation, the Quartet garnered the first Cleveland Quartet Award and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award; and in 1996 the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center invited them to be the inaugural members of Chamber Music Society Two, a program which was to become a coveted distinction for chamber groups and individuals. The Quartet had its first European tour in 1997, and was honored in the U.K. with the Royal Philharmonic Award for Most Outstanding Debut. That debut recital was at London's Wigmore Hall, and the Quartet has continued its warm relationship with Wigmore, appearing there regularly and serving as the hall's Quartet-in-residence in the 2000-01 season.