The Ulysses Quartet

The Ulysses String Quartet has been praised for their “textural versatility,” and “the kind of chemistry many quartets long for, but rarely achieve” (The Strad) as well as “avid enthusiasm … [with] chops to back up their passion” (San Diego Story).

Program (Subject to change.) 

Joseph Haydn: Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 33, No. 2
Pavel Haas: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 7
~Intermission~
Paul Frucht: Rhapsody (2018)
Ravel: Quartet in F major

The Ulysses Quartet

Christina Bouey, violin
Rhiannon Banerdt, violin
Colin Brookes, viola
Grace Ho, cello

Founded in the summer of 2015, The Ulysses Quartet won the grand prize at the Vietnam International Music Competition in 2019, first prize in the 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition and the grand prize and gold medal in the senior string division of the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. The group also finished first in the American Prize and won second prize at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in 2017. The quartet garnered a career development grant in the 2016 Banff International String Quartet Competition. In 2019, they were named Graduate Quartet in Residence at the Juilliard School. Ulysses is very pleased to have recently signed with Judson Management Group, Inc. for exclusive worldwide representation.

Hailing from Canada, the United States and Taiwan, The Ulysses Quartet has performed in such prestigious halls such as the Harbin Grand Theatre, Jordan Hall and the Taiwan National Recital Hall. Recent season highlights have included appearances at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, La Jolla Music Society Summerfest, debuts at Premiere Performances Hong Kong, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and the Vietnam Connection Festival, as well as a quartet residency for the Zukerman Young Artist Program. Upcoming engagements include a debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Buffalo Chamber Music Society and the Eastman School of Music. For the last three years, Ulysses was in residence at the Louis Moreau Institute in New Orleans, working with the composer Morris Rosenzweig. As a special project, the group will record the quartets of composer Joseph Summer at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, over the next several years.

The group’s name pays homage to Homer’s hero Odysseus and his 10-year voyage home. Additionally, the quartet’s members live in close proximity to the resting place of former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in Upper Manhattan. The Ulysses String Quartet believes intensely in the power of music to inspire, enlighten and bring people together. The quartet is committed to sharing this passion by increasing access to and appreciation for classical music while enhancing audience engagement. To this end, the quartet offers interactive programs and workshops for all ages that serve to demystify the traditional repertoire while introducing audiences to exciting new works. Their programs frequently enable participants to learn about the inner workings of a string quartet and to explore the connections between classical music and our world today.

The members of Ulysses hold degrees from the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory and Yale University. The musicians perform on instruments and bows graciously on loan from the Canada Council of the Arts Instrument Bank and the Maestro Foundation. They are very grateful for a string sponsorship through Shar Music and Connolly Music Company.

Post-Performance Question & Answer Session

Stay after the concert for a question and answer session with the artists.

Pricing

$20 general; $15 for seniors and students

Enjoy all four concerts for only $60 when you purchase the tickets together online. Apply code JuilliardFY20 for the discount when purchasing the 4-Concert Package. Available for sale through January 5, 2020.

Click here to view all the performances in the 2019-20 Juilliard @ SOPAC series.

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