20th Anniversary Competition Events
Junior Division - April 12, 2025
Senior Division - April 26, 2025
2020 Prizewinners
THE RADER QUARTET
GOLD MEDALISTS & HAYDN PRIZE
Theo Brockhorst, violin (Richmond Heights, MO)
Ethan Mayer, violin (St. Louis, MO)
Jacob Sheldon, viola (St. Louis, MO)
Alec Cho, cello (Chesterfield, MO)
The Rader Quartet was formed in the summer of 2018 by the Preparatory Program of the Community Music School of Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. It is also co-sponsored by the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis and an anonymous donor. The members include violinists Theo Bockhorst, age 18, Ethan Mayer, age 18, violist Jacob Sheldon, age 18, and cellist Alex Cho, age 17, who are all members of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and have won numerous prizes and awards as soloists with community and regional orchestras. They are coached by Kurt Baldwin of the Arianna String Quartet, Chris Tantillo, a violist in the St. Louis Symphony, and the Preparatory Program’s Artistic Director Vera Parkin. Since forming, they have given performances at the Sheldon Concert Hall as part of their professional concert series, performed with conductor Leonard Slatkin, played gigs, and bonded over a lot of runs to Raising Cane’s. Last year, the Rader String Quartet was awarded Second place and the Haydn prize at the 2019 St. Paul String Quartet Competition as well as reaching the Semi-finals of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
The RADER Quartet plays Ginastera
2020 SPSQC Program Book
HELIOS STRING QUARTET
SILVER MEDALISTS
Steven Lu, violin (Plano, TX)
Gabriel Fedak, violin (Irving, TX)
Drew Goodwin, viola (McKinney, TX)
Faith Choi, cello (Plano, TX)
The Helios String Quartet was formed in the fall of 2019 and is comprised of Steven Lu and Gabriel Fedak, violin; Drew Goodwin, viola; and Faith Choi, cello. All four students are members of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra under the direction of Richard Giangiulio. The quartet is coached by Diane Kitzman. The quartet members have individually attended festivals including Interlochen Arts Camp, Montecito International Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Encore Chamber Music Festival, and have received masterclasses from Lynn Harrell, Maxim Vengerov, Martin Beaver, and Ralph Fielding. The quartet’s members have competed in various competitions, including the Juanita Miller Concerto Competition, American Protege Concerto Competition, and the Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition. Furthermore, they are members of the TMEA All-State orchestra and performed at the centennial convention this past February.
MARQUIS STRING QUARTET
BRONZE MEDALISTS
Cecilia Martin, violin (Bexley, OH)
Kenneth Bechtel, violin (Hilliard, OH)
Jacob Liu, viola (Columbus, OH)
Eric Spain, cello (Worthington, OH)
The Marquis String Quartet is honored to coach with a team of associated faculty at the Chamber Music Connection (CMC) in Worthington, Ohio under the mentorship of Artistic Director, Deborah Price. The quartet comprises violinists Cecilia Martin and Kenneth Bechtel, violist Jacob Liu, and cellist Eric Spain. The Marquis has enjoyed delving deeply into repertoire while participating in regional and national competitions. They recently received Honorable Mention at the 2020 Midwest National Chamber Music Competition, First Prize at the 2020 Ohio String Teachers Association Chamber Music Competition, and participated as semi-finalists in the 2020 Coltman National Chamber Music Competition in Austin, TX. Looking forward, the Marquis Quartet has advanced into the quarter-finals of The Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, and are thrilled to be in the final six of the St. Paul String Quartet National Competition. The group enjoys expressing their imagination and emotions by creating a story to go along with the repertoire they are preparing. The Marquis Quartet has participated in masterclasses with Peter Salaff, Alicia Hui, Ames Piano Quartet, Cavani, Calidore, Dover, St. Lawrence, KASA and Callisto String Quartets. The name “Marquis” was inspired by the generosity of the Loft Violin Shop who donated four Marquise bows to CMC to share amongst their students. “Marquis” is also a nobleman’s title in some European countries meaning “future of value”. Under the direction of Debbie Price, the group hopes to continue to grow as people, musicians, and friends.
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Marquis Quartet plays Mendelssohn