Pianist Kirill Gerstein’s heritage combines the traditions of Russian, American, and Central European music-making with an insatiable curiosity. These qualities and the relationships he’s developed with orchestras, conductors, instrumentalists, singers, and composers have led him to explore a huge spectrum of repertoire, both new and old. From Bach to Thomas Adès, Gerstein’s playing is distinguished by a ferocious technique and discerning intelligence matched by an energetic, imaginative musical presence that places him at the top of his profession.
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.
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.
Joel Link is a violinist with the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. Mr. Link is an active soloist and chamber musician; and has been a top prize winner of numerous competitions including the Johansen International Competition in Washington, D.C. and the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in England, for which he was featured in The Strad magazine. Mr. Link has appeared on numerous radio shows, including NPR’s From the Top.
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.
Felix Fan’s versatility has made him one of the most sought-after cellists of his generation. As a chamber musician, he’s performed with cellists Yo-Yo Ma and János Starker and violinist Gil Shaham, and he’s appeared in such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York City, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Royal Festival Hall in London. Fan’s recent solo engagements include the San Diego Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Macau Orchestra, and Munich Chamber Orchestra. In 2006, Fan and violinist Cho-Liang Lin recorded Gordon Chin’s Double Concerto for Violin and Cello with the Kansas City Symphony, led by Music Director Michael Stern, on the Naxos label.
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.
Bart Feller is principal flute of the New Jersey Symphony and The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. He’s performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and he’s appeared at Bargemusic, a floating concert hall in New York City. Feller graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and has given recitals and classes throughout the United States. Among the summer festivals he’s participated in are the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Napa Valley Chamber Music Festival, Marlboro Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, OK Mozart International Festival, and Colorado College Summer Music Festival.
Feller is a professor of flute at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, and he teaches in the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School. He’s released three CDs: Elysian Fields, 20th-Century Duos, and Mozart Flute Quartets.
