At the 2019 Port Townsend Chamber Music Workshop, two emerging pre-professional quartets and two accomplished pianists have been invited as participants for this unique and immersive experience with the American String Quartet and Artistic Director Lucinda Carver. Audiences are encouraged to join us, meet the artists, and witness public master classes and student showcase recitals as an “up close and personal” glimpse into the training and preparation of concert-level performances.
Master class and concerts are at the Wheeler Theater
Master Class
Tuesday, June 11
7:30 p.m., FREE
Quartets from the workshop coached by the American String Quartet
Workshop Participant Piano Quintet & String Quartet Showcase Concerts
Wednesday, June 12, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 13, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets $10
Workshop Participants
Julius Quartet
Hailed as “the captivating young string quartet,” the Julius Quartet is rapidly making itself known in the chamber music world. Formed in the fall of 2012, the group held a special residency as The Boston Conservatory’s Honors String Quartet. The quartet was recently appointed as the Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University, and previously served as the Graduate Quartet-in-Residence at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, where they worked intensely with the celebrated Shanghai Quartet. Recognized for their high level of artistry, the group was awarded First Prize at the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, First Prize at the first annual MA-ASTA String Quartet/Quintet Competition by unanimous vote and was nominated for the Harvard Musical Association’s Arthur Foote Award.
Corylus Quartet
The Corylus Quartet was formed in 2017 at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) and is one of three string quartets selected to participate in the Advanced String Quartet Program at CIM. They have worked with members of the Emerson, Orion, Danish, Miami, Ehnes, and Cavani Quartets. The Corylus Quartet had the privilege of being chosen as a semifinalist of the Plowman Chamber Music Competition in March 2019. In February of 2019, at the invitation of Sharon Robinson, the quartet performed in the Music for Food Benefit Concert directed by Kim Kashkashian in Cleveland, helping to provide 1,500 meals for hungry families in Northeast Ohio. Adding to education outreach, they are expanding their commitment to new and American music and presented the local premiere of Caroline Shaw’s quartet Blueprint.
Katelyn Vahala
Katelyn Vahala is a first year Master of Music student studying piano performance at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. A Da Camera Society Young Scholar in Residence, Katelyn has performed extensively as a chamber musician. She has toured with chamber groups throughout Europe and performs regularly in the Los Angeles area. As a member of the Callisto Trio, Katelyn was a prize winner at the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. The trio was the youngest ensemble to place in the forty-three year history of the competition. The Callisto Trio has since continued to perform and has toured in Holland and Slovakia with performances at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Reduta Philharmonic Hall in Bratislava. Alongside her chamber music pursuits, Katelyn enjoys an active schedule in accompanying and teaching in the Los Angeles area. She currently works with and accompanies young violinists and cellists at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
Lam Wong
Known for “great imagination and extraordinary musicality” (Shantou Daily) in his playing, classical pianist Lam Wong made his debut with Liszt: 12 Études d’exécution transcendante at the age of 14. He has since appeared in Beijing Concert Hall, Ningbo Concert Hall, and performance has brought him to other venues in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Aspen, and New York.
Mr. Wong is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, studying with James Giles. He is a recipient of the Eckstein Fund from Northwestern University. Mr. Wong earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Manhattan School of Music, and he was a recipient of the First Initiative Hong Kong/China Scholarship, and the China-Manhattan Scholarship. Mr. Wong earned his Master of Music degree at Yale School of Music, and he was a recipient of the Mary Clapp Howell Scholarship, the Harry B Jepson Scholarship, and the Stephen & Denise Adams Scholarship.