Pianist Katia Skanavi’s combination of Greek-Russian cultural roots and Central European musical traditions results in music-making with a unique blend of spontaneity, intuition, and erudition.
A Greek citizen born in the former Soviet Union, Skanavi is based in Moscow and Berlin. Equally active as a soloist and a chamber music partner, she’s appeared worldwide with conductors such as James Conlon, Kurt Masur, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, and Jaap van Zweden. Skanavi has collaborated with the major orchestras in Russia and, internationally, with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Camerata Salzburg, Kremerata Baltica, the Orchestre National de France, and the Cincinnati, Dallas, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Tokyo symphony orchestras. She’s also presented recital programs in Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Vienna, and New York. Skanavi has partnered with Gidon Kremer in concert-duo performances and on a recording, and she’s played sonatas with Leonidas Kavakos and Yuri Bashmet.
The riveting American violinist William Hagen is a seasoned international performer who’s appeared as a soloist with many of the world’s great orchestras, including the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Chicago, Frankfurt Radio, and San Francisco symphony orchestras, among many others. He’s been hailed as a “brilliant virtuoso” and “a standout” by The Dallas Morning News, while the Chicago Classical Review has praised his “glowing tone,” “virtuosic pyrotechnics,” and “poise and maturity” as a player. In 2015, Hagan won third prize in the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, making him one of the most successful Americans in that prestigious competition’s history.
In 2019, Ida Kavafian completed her 35-year tenure as artistic director of the Music from Angel Fire chamber music festival in New Mexico. A frequent artist of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for more than 40 years and former violinist of the renowned Beaux Arts Trio, Kavafian currently performs as a soloist; in recital with her sister, violinist Ani Kavafian; as a guest with distinguished ensembles; and as a faculty member at the Curtis Institute of Music. She’s premiered many new works, toured and recorded with fiddler/composer Mark O’Connor and with jazz greats Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis, and had a solo feature onCBS Sunday Morning. She premiered and recorded Michael Daugherty’s violin concertoFire and Bloodwith the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and, as a violist, toured and recorded with the Guarneri Quartet and performed with the Orion, Shanghai, and American string quartets.
Bryan Lee is a violinist with the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. Mr. Lee has performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Delaware, Lansdowne, and Temple University symphony orchestras, among others. He was awarded the bronze medal at the 2005 Stulberg International String Competition and won second prize at the 2004 Kingsville Young Performers Competition. He has been featured on NPR’s From the Top and has attended Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, La Jolla Music Society’s Summerfest, Music from Angel Fire, Encore School for Strings, Sarasota Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, and the Perlman Music Program.
Toby Appel has appeared in recital and concerto performances throughout North and South America, Europe, and the Far East. He’s been a member of such renowned ensembles as TASHI and the Lenox and Audubon quartets; a guest artist with the Vermeer, Manhattan, Alexander, and Dover quartets; and a frequent guest with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and jazz artists Chick Corea and Gary Burton. His festival appearances include Mostly Mozart; Chamber Music Northwest; the Seattle Chamber Music Society; Music from Angel Fire; the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival; the Marlboro, Manchester, Colorado College Summer, and Bravo! Vail music festivals; and festivals in England, France, Korea, Germany, Italy, Finland, and Greece.
Julianne Lee joins the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music, as its violist in September 2023. She has forged a remarkable career as both a violinist and violist, frequently appearing as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. She holds the position of assistant principal second violinist at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has been a member of the BSO violin section since 2006, serving as acting assistant concertmaster from 2013 to 2015. From 2017 to 2019, she was also the principal second violinist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Violist Steven Tenenbom has established a distinguished career as a chamber musician, soloist, recitalist, and teacher. He’s worked with composer Lukas Foss and jazz artist Chick Corea, and he’s appeared as a guest artist with ensembles and organizations such as the Guarneri Quartet, Emerson String Quartet, Beaux Arts Trio, Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Cellist Eric Kim enjoys a diverse career as a recitalist, a chamber musician, an orchestral soloist, and a teacher. He made his solo debut at age 15 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; since then, he’s been a featured soloist with the Cincinnati, Denver, and San Diego symphony orchestras, and he’s collaborated with conductors Alan Gilbert, Zubin Mehta, Paavo Järvi, Jesús López Cobos, Lawrence Foster, Sergiu Comissiona, Gianandrea Noseda, and Stanisław Skrowaczewski. He was also a featured soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra during the ensemble’s critically acclaimed tour of the Far East.
Camden Shaw is the cellist of the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. He has appeared with the ensemble in performances all over the world to great acclaim. Mr. Shaw has collaborated in chamber music with such renowned artists as Daniel Hope, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and the late Leon Fleischer, and maintains an active career as a soloist. Highlights from recent seasons include a performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, Op. 56 with the Artosphere Festival Orchestra, where Shaw also holds the principal chair; and the release of his solo album by Unipheye Music, which was met with critical praise.
