Robin Scott, violin | Janet Ying, violin | Philip Ying, viola | David Ying, cello

Now in its third decade, the Ying Quartet has established itself as an ensemble of the highest musical qualifications. They perform regularly in many of the world’s finest concert halls. The Quartet’s belief that concert music can also be a meaningful part of everyday life has also drawn the foursome to perform in diverse settings.

The Ying’s ongoing LifeMusic commissioning project, created in response to their commitment to expanding the rich string quartet repertoire, has already achieved an impressive history. Supported by the Institute for American Music, the Ying Quartet commissions both established and emerging composers to create music that reflects contemporary American life. Recent works include Billy Childs’s Awakening; Lera Auerbach’s Sylvia’s Diary; Lowell Liebermann’s String Quartet No. 3, To the Victims of War; Sebastian Currier’s Next Atlantis and John Novacek’s Three Rags for String Quartet. The Quartet’s many other recordings reflect the group’s wide-ranging musical interests and the Souvenir de Florence recording (with James Dunham and Paul Katz) was nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the Best Chamber Music Performance category.

The Ying Quartet first came to professional prominence in the 1990s during their years as resident quartet of Jesup, Iowa, a farm town of 2000 people. Playing before audiences of six to six hundred in homes, schools, churches and banks, the Quartet had its first opportunities to become an integral part of community life through music and creative endeavors. The Quartet considers its time in Jesup the foundation of its present musical life and goals.

As quartet-in-residence at the prestigious Eastman School of Music, the Ying Quartet teaches in the string department. The Quartet is also the ensemble-in-residence at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and from 2001-2008, the members were the Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University.