Varo String Quartet

“Destined to impress even the most attuned music lovers” (Chicago Magazine), Varo String Quartet (Carmen Abelson and Hannah Christiansen, violins; Lena Vidulich, viola; and Isidora Nojkovic, cello) came together over their shared love for the existing string quartet literature and excitement about the possibilities for what the ensemble can become in the hands of today’s composers. Lauded for the “killer ambiance” (AudPod) of their concert experiences, the Quartet prides itself on inventive programming and spirited, intimate, and risk-taking performances. They are named after one of the three witches of Surrealism, the painter Remedios Varo, whose vibrant creativity, juxtaposition of themes, and lifelong pursuit of discovery inspire the Quartet to pair “music that everybody knows [with] music that nobody knows” in thought-provoking and unexpected ways.

Quartet121

Quartet121 was a New York City-based quartet until 2022.

Quartet121 was Julia Jung Un Suh (violin), Molly Germer (violin), Lena Vidulich (viola), and Thea Mesirow (cello). Described as “a magnet for world premieres” (New York Music Daily), Quartet121 was passionate about working with emerging composers, promoting equity, and expanding its stylistic range to reach wider audiences. Since 2020, Quartet121 was selected to participate in the Banff Centre’s Evolution of the String Quartet summer festival and to curate concerts in NYC as part of New Music on the Point’s alumni grant program. Quartet121 held residencies at University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Manhattan School of Music, and Hunter College. Many of these projects were made possible by the Alice M. Ditson Fund, the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, and Chamber Music America.

earspace

earspace is an ensemble consisting of violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, and percussion that performs a combination of conducted and unconducted chamber music of a wide variety of scopes. Passionate producers, the ensemble is dedicated to both commissioning new, immersive works and amplifying rarely-performed gems of the repertoire. Founded in North Carolina, the group is now based across the US and performs regularly around the east coast, collaborating with organizations including the Southern Exposure New Music Series, Towson University, Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, the Peabody Institute, Asheville Ballet, Carolina Performing Arts, and others.