Celebrated Artist-Teacher String Series

Linda Wang, Artistic Director

The Celebrated Artist-Teacher String Series (CATS) brings together a unique, world-class series of celebrated artists-teachers from university music schools across the nation. Collaboration with Lamont faculty and outstanding students provides exceptional opportunities for exciting, professional and inspired chamber music performances.

2023-24 Season

Chamber Music Masterclass: Schmuel Ashkenazi

Thursday, April 4, 4:00 p.m.
Room 214
Free admission to observe

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Violin Masterclass: Schmuel Ashkenazi

Friday, April 5, 9:00 a.m.
Hamilton Recital Hall
Free admission to observe

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Masterclass: Stella Chen, violin

Friday, April 12, 2:00 p.m.
Hamilton Recital Hall
Free admission to observe

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Masterclass: Astrid Schween, cello

Friday, April 26, 1:00 p.m.
Hamilton Recital Hall
Free admission to observe

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Masterclass: Almita Vamos, violin

Thursday, May 23, 1-4 pm
Room 130 in the Newman Center

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Performance Highlights

Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence, op. 70

Alexander Kerr was a guest artist at Lamont in the Fall of 2017, as part of the Celebrated Artist-Teacher String series (CATS). At the Convocation held on October 6, 2017, he performed side-by-side with Lamont students.

Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

Glenn Dicterow and Karen Dreyfus were guest artists at Lamont in the Fall of 2015, as part of the Celebrated Artist-Teacher String series (CATS). At the Convocation held on October 9, 2015, they performed side-by-side with other Lamont faculty members.

Previous CATS Artists

2015-16
Glenn Dicterow, violin (Concertmaster, New York Philharmonic)
Karen Dreyfus, viola
Edward Arron, cello
Jeewon Park, cello
Brian Lewis, violin
Hong-Mei Xiao, viola

2016-17
Timothy Eddy, cello (Orion String Quartet, Juilliard)
Andres Cardenes, violin (Concertmaster, Pittsburgh Symphony)
Harlem String Quartet
Aspen String Trio
Sheila Browne, viola (Serafin String Quartet)
Keng-Yuen Tseng, violin (Peabody)
Ivo Van der Werff, viola (Medici String Quartet, Rice)

2017-2018
Alexander Kerr, violin (Concertmaster, Dallas Symphony)
Miriam Fried, violin (New England Conservatory)
Ira Gold, double bass (National Symphony)
Carol Roland, viola (Juilliard)
Amir Eldan, cello (Oberlin)
Natasha Brodsky, cello (Juilliard)
Roger Tapping, viola (Juilliard)
Paul Sharpe, double bass (UNC)
Sigurbjorn Bernhardsson, violin (Pacifica Quartet)
Geri Walter, viola (Takács Quartet)
Stephen Miahky, violin (Blair Quartet)

2018-19
Melissa Kraut, cello
Lynn Harrell, cello
Calidore String Quartet
Sigurbjorn Bernhardsson, violin (Pacifica Quartet)
Julio Elizalde, piano
Turtle Island Quartet
Brant Taylor, cello (Chicago Symphony)
Danwen Jiang, violin (ASU)
Roger Meyer, viola
Margaret Batjer, violin (Concertmaster, LA Chamber Orchestra)
Augustin Hadelich, violin
Tetzlaff-Tetzlaff-Vogt Trio
Geraldine Walther, viola (Takács Quartet)
Eugene Drucker, violin (Emerson Quartet)
Nicolas Kitchen, violin (Borromeo String Quartet)

2019-2020
James Dunham, viola (Rice, Cleveland Quartet)
Sheryl Staples (Associate Concertmaster, NY Philharmonic)
Horacio Contreras (Chicago Music Institute)
Danish String Quartet
Timothy Pitts bass and Kathleen Winkler violin (Rice)
Richard O’Neill (Takács Quartet)
Alan Rafferty (Cincinnati Symphony)
James Stern (University of Maryland)
Masumi Per Rostad, viola (Eastman)

2020-2021
Pamela Frank, violin Curtis
Richard Aaron, cello (Juilliard)
Gil Shaham, violin
Aaron Berofsky, violin (University of Michigan)
Grigory Kalinovsky, violin (Indiana University)
Guðný Guðmundsdóttir, violin (Concertmaster, Iceland Symphony)

2021-2022
Midori, violin
Dimitry Berlinsky, violin
Calidore Quartet
Kronos Quartet

2022-2023
Nancy Zhou, violin
Simon James, violin
Judith Ingólfsson, violin
Leila Josefowicz, violin
Julio Elizalde, chamber music
Sandy Yamamoto, violin
David Requiro, cello
James Ehnes, violin
Meta Weiss, cello