Winners of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant, and the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022, the New York City-based IsidoreString Quartet was formed in 2019 with a vision to revisit, rediscover, and reinvigorate the repertory. The quartet is heavily influenced by the Juilliard String Quartet and the idea of ‘approaching the established as if it were brand new, and the new as if it were firmly established.’ Outside the concert hall the quartet has worked with PROJECT: MUSIC HEALS US providing encouragement, education, and healing to marginalized communities-including elderly, disabled, rehabilitating incarcerated and homeless populations-who otherwise have limited access to high-quality live music performance. The name Isidore recognizes the ensemble’s musical connection tothe Juilliard Quartet: one of that group’s early members was legendary violinist Isidore Cohen. Additionally, it acknowledges a shared affection for a certain libation-legend has it a Greek monk named Isidore concocted the first genuine vodka recipe for the Grand Duchy of Moscow! PROGRAM Mozart: Quartet in C Major, KV 465 “Dissonance” Billy Childs: String Quartet no. 2 “Awakening” Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E-flat Major, op. 44 no. 3 Related links: ArtPower at UCSD: website | Instagram | Facebook
