Rasa String Quartet was formed in 2019 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA and consists of Irish-American violinist, Maura Shawn Scanlin, Japanese-American violinist, Kiyoshi Hayashi, Spanish-Vietnamese violist, Claudia Do Minh Ramos, and Korean-American cellist, Eunghee Cho. The Rasa String Quartet is quickly emerging as one of New England’s finest young ensembles. In April 2020, they won 1st prize in the Chamber Music Yellow Springs 35th Annual Competition, and were recently selected as finalists for the 2020 Lakes Area Music Festival String Quartet Residency.

The Rasa String Quartet has performed all across the New England area including concerts at Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA, The Center for Arts in Natick, MA, and the Mohawk Trails Concert Series in Shelburne Falls, MA. In addition to playing on established chamber music concert series throughout Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire, the quartet frequently performs in more unconventional spaces such as house concerts, local clubs and breweries, nursing homes, healthcare settings, and more. Because of the ensemble’s progressive and accessible variety of programming, each concert exposes audience members to a wide range of genres, guaranteeing that there is always something everyone can relate to.

Members of the Rasa String Quartet have performed all over the world and have won prizes in renowned competitions including the Schoenfeld International String Competition, the Global Music Partnership International Concerto Competition, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Competition. They have been invited to perform at festivals including the Pablo Casals Festival (France), Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, Pacific Music Festival (Japan), Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Taos School of Music, Rencontres Franco-Americaines de Musique de Chambre (France), Banff Chamber Music Residency (Canada), and the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship (Scotland), and have collaborated with distinguished artists such as Midori, David Shifrin, Elton John, Borromeo String Quartet, Silk Road Ensemble, and A Far Cry, among others.

By performing repertoire from the classical, world, and folk genres at the highest level of artistry, the Rasa String Quartet cultivates experiences that provoke powerful and uplifting emotions, foster meaningful connections, and help the classical culture become more accessible to all.

In sanskrit, the term ‘rasa’ refers to the enchantingly indescribable power of any art form to evoke strong emotions in the reader or listener. Thus, our goal is to have audiences leave performances feeling moved and uplifted, feeling more grateful for the abundance of beauty in the world, with renewed inspiration to pursue their respective passions, and in contemplation of the more universal concerns of life.