Ying Quartet

Ayano Ninomiya, violin
Janet Ying, violin
Phillip Ying, viola
David Ying, cello

The Ying Quartet occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today's world. Now in its second decade, the Quartet has established itself as an ensemble of the highest musical qualifications in its tours across the United States and abroad. Their performances regularly take place in many of the world's most important concert halls, from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. At the same time, the Quartet's belief that concert music can also be a meaningful part of everyday life has also drawn the foursome to perform in settings as diverse as the workplace, schools, juvenile prisons, and the White House. In fact, the Ying Quartet's constant quest to explore the creative possibilities of the string quartet has led it to an unusually diverse array of musical projects and interests.

The Ying Quartet first came to professional prominence in the early 1990s during its years as resident quartet of Jesup, Iowa, a farm town of 2000 people. Playing before audiences of six to six hundred in homes, schools, churches and banks, the Quartet had its first opportunities to enable music as an integral part of community life. The Quartet considers its time in Jesup the foundation of its present musical life and goals. 

The Quartet's ongoing LifeMusic commissioning project, created in response to their commitment to expanding the rich string quartet repertoire, has already achieved an impressive history. Supported by the Institute for American Music, the Yings commission both established and emerging composers to create music that reflects contemporary American life. Michael Torke, Kevin Puts, Paquito D'Rivera, Paul Moravec, Bernard Rands, Lowell Liebermann, Pierre Jalbert, Sebastian Currier, and Carter Pann are only some of the renowned composers and musicians who have written for LifeMusic. The 2009-2010 season featured Sebastian Currier’s latest work for string quartet, Next Atlantis, as well as Richard Danielpour’s Quartet No. 6, “Addio.” The 2010-2011 season saw the debut of John Novacek’s Three Rags for String Quartet; 2011-2012 will feature works by Kenji Bunch and Billy Childs.

As quartet-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music, the Ying Quartet teaches in the string department and leads a rigorous, sequentially designed chamber music program. From 2001-2008, the members of the Ying Quartet were also the Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University. 

June 2011 – Please don’t edit without permission.