Escher String Quartet

"The group combined ripe tonal balances with the kind of heedless intensity that comes with youth"
– San Francisco Chronicle

Formed in 2005, the Escher String Quartet has attracted the attention of several esteemed artists who immediately admired the young ensemble's individual sound, inspired artistic decisions and unique cohesiveness. Within months of its inception, the Escher was invited by both Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman to be the quartet-in-residence at each artist's summer festival: The Young Artists Programme at Canada's National Arts Centre and The Perlman Chamber Music Program on Shelter Island, NY. The following winter, the Escher Quartet made its Washington, DC debut, representing the Manhattan School of Music for the Kennedy Center's Conservatory Project.

In only three years, the group has established a reputation as a world-class string quartet. During the past year the Escher began its Chamber Music Society Two Residency with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The Escher was also Caramoor's Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence. The ensemble's season began with performances at the Ravinia, Green, Great Lakes, Music @ Menlo and La Jolla Festivals. Additional 2007-2008 appearances included the 92nd Street Y, Symphony Space and the New School in New York; Boston's Gardner Museum; Rhinebeck Chamber Music Society; Concordia College; University of Idaho; and the Ravinia Festival. The Quartet has also joined the faculty of Stony Brook University as Visiting Artist-in-Residence in a unique relationship with the world-renowned Emerson String Quartet.

Recently the Escher joined guitar luminary Pepe Romero for a New Year's Eve performance at the 92nd Street Y and pianist Wu Han at the Greenwich Library Concert Series. Nightclub engagements at Tonic and Union Hall--an eclectic club in Brooklyn--saw the Escher in joint concerts with pop-folk singer-songwriter Luke Temple.

The Escher String Quartet takes its name from Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher; inspired by Escher's method of interplay between individual components working together to form a whole.