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Short Biography

Praised by the Baltimore Sun for combining “smoothly meshed technique with a sense of spontaneity and discovery,” the Aeolus Quartet is committed to presenting time-seasoned masterworks and new, cutting-edge compositions to widely diverse audiences with equal freshness, dedication, and fervor.

Formed in 2008, the Quartet has performed across the globe in venues such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and Shanghai Oriental Arts Center.

2019-20 season highlights include performances at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the University of Texas, Austin, Cornell University, Fairmont Chamber Music Society, University of Missouri-Columbia, NYC’s Bohemian National Hall, and in the premiere of a new chamber opera at NYC’s Prototype Festival. The Aeolus Quartet has released two critically acclaimed albums of classical and contemporary works through the Longhorn/Naxos label.

Their competition success includes the Grand Prize in the Plowman Chamber Music Competition and Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, First Prize at the Coleman International Chamber Ensemble Competition, and Silver Medal at the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition. The Quartet has studied extensively with the Miró, Guarneri, and Juilliard Quartets. Other mentors include artists such as Peter Salaff, Donald Weilerstein, Itzhak Perlman, Gerhard Schulz, and Mark Steinberg.

The Aeolus Quartet has held residences at Musica Viva NY, the New Orchestra of Washington (DC), and as the 2013-2015 Graduate Resident String Quartet at the Juilliard School. They currently make their home in New York City.

Full Biography

Nicholas Tavani & Rachel Shapiro, violins
Caitlin Lynch, viola
Alan Richardson, cello

Praised by the Baltimore Sun for combining “smoothly meshed technique with a sense of spontaneity and discovery,” the Aeolus Quartet is committed to presenting time-seasoned masterworks and new cutting-edge works to widely diverse audiences with equal freshness, dedication, and fervor.

Aeolus Quartet formed in 2008 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Since its inception, the all-American quartet has been awarded prizes at nearly every major competition in the United States and performed across the globe with showings “worthy of a major-league quartet” (Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News). Luke Quinton of the Austin-American Statesman writes, “The Aeolus Quartet is a powerful and thoughtful group of young musicians who are plotting an ascending course…this vibrant group shows great promise.”

2019-20 season highlights include performances at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the University of Texas, Austin, Cornell University, Fairmont Chamber Music Society, University of Missouri-Columbia, NYC’s Bohemian National Hall, California Baptist University, Friends of Chamber Music Reading, and in the premiere of a new chamber opera at NYC’s Prototype Festival.

In the 2018-19 season, Aeolus Quartet performed Dvorak’s American Quartet at Merkin Hall, pieces by James Scott Balentine and Jon Deak at Scrag Mountain Music, dates at the Music at Kohl Mansion Series and Chamber Music Society of Detroit, and with the Mark Morris Dance Group at the Freer Gallery in Washington, D.C. They additionally held an Art Education Event and Performance at Pro Musica Joplin.

The Quartet has also performed across North America, Europe, and Asia in venues such as the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center (as part of the Great Performer’s Series), Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Reinberger Recital Hall at Severance Hall, Merkin Hall, The Library of Congress, Renwick Gallery, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center. The Quartet was also recently featured on the hit Netflix show The Defenders.

The Aeolus Quartet have been Grand Prizewinners of the Plowman Chamber Music Competition and Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition. They were awarded First Prize at the Coleman International Chamber Ensemble Competition, a Silver Medal at the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, and a Bronze Medal at the International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition in New England. The Austin Critics’ Table named the Aeolus Quartet their 2010-2011 “Best Ensemble,” and their 2016-17 “Best Touring Performance” for Rambunctious, a collaboration with Spectrum Dance Theater. The Aeolus Quartet has released two critically acclaimed albums of classical and contemporary works through the Longhorn/Naxos label which are available on iTunes, Amazon, and major retailers worldwide.

Dedicated to bringing music into the community, the Aeolus Quartet has been widely recognized for their highly innovative and engaging outreach programs. For the 2015-2016 season, the Quartet was the recipient of a CMA Residency Partnership Grant. Named the 2015-2016 Guarneri Quartet Residency in recognition of Aeolus’ artistic achievement, the project involved extensive outreach and performance at Duke Ellington School for the Arts, the Sitar Arts Center, and George Washington University. The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association awarded the Aeolus their 2013 Educator Award in acknowledgment of the positive impact their educational efforts have had in diverse communities. Additionally, they were awarded the 2012 Lad Prize which culminated in large-scale community engagement work, performing in the Stanford, CA area, and a masterclass residency at Stanford University. The Aeolus Quartet has also served as teaching faculty at Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY), the Austin Chamber Music Workshop, and Da Camera of Houston’s Music Encounters Program. Working in collaboration with the University of Texas through the Rural Chamber Music Outreach Initiative, the Quartet has presented educational programs and performances in communities throughout the state of Texas.

The Aeolus Quartet has studied extensively with the Miró, Guarneri, and Juilliard Quartets. Other mentors include artists William Preucil, Peter Salaff, Donald Weilerstein, Itzhak Perlman, Gerhard Schulz, and Mark Steinberg. Members of the Quartet hold degrees from the Peabody Conservatory, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the University of Texas at Austin, where they served as the first Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence.

The Aeolus Quartet has also held residences at Musica Viva NY, the New Orchestra of Washington (DC), and as the 2013-2015 Graduate Resident String Quartet at the Juilliard School. They currently make their home in New York City.