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.

2025-26 Season

Calidore String Quartet
October 14, 2025

Irina Muresanu, violin
February 26, 2026

James Ehnes, violin
March 7, 2026

David Kim, violin
March 16 & 17, 2026

Brentano String Quartet

April 6, 2026

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

2024-25

Augustin Hadelich, violin

Miro String Quartet

Academy St. Martin in the Fields

Simone Gramaglia, viola

Ilya Kaler, violin

Brannon Cho, cello

Desirée Ruhstrat, violin

Danish String quartet

Anne Akiko Meyers, violin

Caroline Shaw, composer

2023-24
Schmuel Ashkenazi, violin
Stella Chen, violin
Astrid Schween, cello
Almita Vamos, violin
Pacifica Quartet

2022-23
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

2021-22
Midori, violin
Dimitry Berlinsky, violin
Calidore Quartet
Kronos Quartet
Julie Albers, cello 2021
Eric Kutz, cello 2021

2020-21
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)

2019-20
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)

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)

2017-18
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)

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)

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
Antoine Tamestit, viola
Charles Castleman, violin
Benjamin Beilman, violin