Ariel Quartet to receive Cleveland Quartet Award

Biennial Honor Recognizes and Promotes a Rising String Quartet

(New York, NY) Chamber Music America (CMA) announced today that the Ariel Quartet has been selected to receive the Cleveland Quartet Award for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

Established in 1995, the biennial award honors and promotes a rising young string quartet whose exceptional artistry demonstrates the potential for a major career. “We are delighted that the Ariel Quartet has been recognized for its impressive artistic achievements, and pleased that the Cleveland Quartet Award will have a role in developing this young ensemble’s future career,” said Margaret M. Lioi, Chamber Music America’s chief executive officer.

Originally formed in Israel, the Ariel Quartet (Alexandra Kazovsky and Gershon Gerchikov, violinists; Jan Grünig, violist; and Amit Even-Tov, cellist) moved to the United States in 2004 to study at the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Training Program. In 2006, the quartet won the grand prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition; in 2007, they won third prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition. The quartet is currently in residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music.

The creation of a lasting legacy for young musicians was envisioned by the Cleveland Quartet in 1995, as a culmination of its remarkable 26-year history. The quartet joined forces with Chamber Music America (CMA) and eight prominent chamber music presenters to found the Cleveland Quartet Award and to raise funds for the establishment of the Cleveland Quartet Endowment Fund. The first recipient was the Brentano String Quartet, and subsequent recipients were the Borromeo, Miami, Pacifica, Miró, Jupiter, Parker, and Jasper quartets.

The Cleveland Quartet Award is presented at Chamber Music America’s National Conference, held January 16-19, 2014 in New York City. During the 2013-14 and 2014-15 concert seasons, the Jasper String Quartet will perform at each of the following presenting organizations: Buffalo Chamber Music Society (Buffalo, NY); Carnegie Hall (New York, NY); Chamber Music Society of Detroit (Detroit, MI); Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art at the Smithsonian (Washington, D.C.); Friends of Chamber Music (Kansas City, MO); Market Square Concerts (Harrisburg, PA); Krannert Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Urbana, IL); and the University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX).

Chamber Music America, the national network for chamber music professionals, was founded in 1977 to develop and strengthen an evolving chamber music community. With a membership of over 6,000, including musicians, ensembles, presenters, artists’ managers, educators, music businesses, and advocates of ensemble music, CMA welcomes and represents a wide range of musical styles and traditions. In addition to its awards and grant programs, CMA provides its members with consulting services, access to health and instrument insurance, conferences, seminars and several publications, including Chamber Music magazine. Visit www.chamber-music.org.