Vega String Quartet
photo by Ann Borden
Background
Quartet in Residence at Emory University, the Vega String Quartet is on the cutting edge of the new generation of chamber music ensembles. After the Vega made its Lincoln Center debut in 2001 the New York Times raved about its "playing that had a kind of clean intoxication to it, pulling the listener along . . . the musicians took real risks in their music making . . . " and the Los Angles Times praised its "triumphant L.A. debut." Other recent engagements include performances in Brussels, Paris, Cologne, Mexico City, New York, Tokyo, Vancouver, and Atlanta. The quartet is a favorite at numerous music festivals including Aspen, Mostly Mozart, Rockport, San Miguel de Allende, Highlands-Cashiers, Musicorda, Kingston, and SummerFest La Jolla among others. They were the quartet-in-residence at the Van Cliburn Institute and on the artist rosterof Carnegie Hall’s New York City Neighborhood Concert series, and in 2003 they joined the Community Concerts Association touring ensembles. In addition, they were visiting artists-in-residence at Emory performing the complete cycle of Beethoven quartets and playing and teaching throughout the community. The 2004–2005 season included debut tours of Korea and Japan as well as performances at New York’s Bargemusic series and at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall.
Quartet in residence
In September 2006, the Vega String Quartet became the first-ever, full-time quartet in residence at Emory. Its main concert project that season was the Bach–Bartók cycle—the complete six string quartets by Belá Bartók combined with the six solo violin sonatas and partitas and six cello suites by Johann Sebastian Bach. Vega also appeared at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall again in February of 2007 and made its Zankel Hall debut with Richard Stoltzman. In addition to the great masterworks, their programs have featured numerous world premieres including works by Emory resident composers Steven Everett, Richard Prior and John Anthony Lennon. They have also premiered Argentine composer Dante Medina’s new Quartet, collaborated with the vocal group Lionheart and the Emory Dance Program as well. The quartet’s live broadcast credits include NPR’s Performance Today (USA), the National Radio of China, Shanghai TV, Radio France, France Musiques, and the National Radio of the Czech Republic. The quartet captured four of the top six prizes at the 1999 Bordeaux String Quartet Competition (including the international music critics’ prize), top prize of the Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition, the Carmel Chamber Music Competition, and the National Society of Arts and Letters String Quartet Competition.
Collaborations
The members of the quartet frequently collaborate with some of the world’s finest musicians including William Preucil, Sarah Chang, Richard Stoltzman, Robert McDuffie, Eliot Fisk, Christopher O’Riley, Charles Wadsworth, the Eroica Trio, the Ying Quartet, and the St. Petersburg Quartet. This season, the Vega Quartet welcomes their new first violinist Domenic Salerni and celebrates a generous grant from the Abraham J. and Phyllis Katz Foundation to continue the residency at Emory for another five years.
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