Chamber Ensembles

Saúl Bitrán and Arón Bitrán, violins; Javier Montiel, viola; Alvaro Bitrán, cello

Cuarteto Latinoamericano, formed in 1982, is known worldwide as the leading proponent of Latin American music for string quartet. The Cuarteto has recorded most of the Latin American repertoire for string quartet, and the sixth volume of their Villa-Lobos 17 quartets cycle was nominated for a Grammy award in 2002 in the field of Best Chamber Music Recording as well as for a Latin Grammy. The Cuarteto has performed as soloist with many orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, National Arts Center Orchestra in Ottawa, Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México, Dallas Symphony, and Símón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela.

The Cuarteto has toured extensively in Europe and the Americas, as well as in New Zealand and Israel. They have appeared in a wide range of venues and festivals such as the Concertgebouw, the Kennedy Center, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Dartmouth College and Cornell University. They have collaborated with prominent artists such as cellist, Janos Starker, and guitarist, Manuel Barrueco, with whom they have toured extensively and recorded two CDs. In 2008 the Cuarteto completed a 20-year residency at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Annalee Patipatanakoon, violin; Roman Borys, cello; Jamie Parker; piano

Gryphon Trio, formed in 1993, continues to delight audiences around the globe with their highly refined and dynamic performances. Based in Toronto, the Trio tours regularly throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. With a strong commitment to expanding the piano trio repertoire, the Trio has commissioned and premiered over 50 works. Their 2004 recording, Canadian Premieres, features the work of leading Canadian composers and was awarded a Juno.

As Canada’s pre-eminent ensemble, the Trio continues to be actively involved in teaching and nurturing future generations of classical musicians and audiences. In addition to master classes at schools and universities across North America, the Gryphon Trio members are Artists-in-Residence at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music.

Strongly dedicated to pushing the boundaries of chamber music, the Trio has collaborated on special projects, such as the groundbreaking multimedia production of Christos Hatzis’ Constantinople, their most ambitious undertaking.

The Trio’s members are Artist Directors of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, a position they have held for two seasons.

Meridian Quartet Anastasia Storer and Claude Halter, violins; Karl Pedersen, viola; Anne Lee, cello

All members of the Meridian Quartet reside in Miami Beach as members of the New World Symphony, directed by Michael Tilson Thomas.

Anastasia Storer, violin, has performed with the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Symphony. She has performed as a soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra and Duquesne University Contemporary Ensemble. Chamber music appearances include the Graduate String Quartet at Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Andrés Cárdenes.

Claude Halter, violin, was born in Paris and moved to the United States to study at Lawrence University and the San Francisco Conservatory. He has performed chamber music alongside faculty from the San Francisco Conservatory as well as members of the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet and Opera orchestras.

Karl Pedersen, viola, studied violin at the University of Iowa and received a Master of Music as a violist at the Peabody Institute. Mr. Pedersen has performed with many orchestras including the Virginia Symphony and Richmond Symphony. In 2005 and 2006 he was awarded the Peabody Career Development Grant.

Anne Lee, cello, started playing at the age of five. In 2003 Ms. Lee made her debut with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. She performed chamber music with the Boston City Quartet, playing outreach programs for Boston public schools. Ms. Lee was the 2007 recipient of the Alberta Foundation of the Arts grant and spent a year in Spain studying with Lluis Claret.