20th Anniversary Competition Events
Junior Division - April 12, 2025
Senior Division - April 26, 2025
2021 Prizewinners
THE STARS ALIGNED SIBLINGS
GOLD MEDALISTS, BIPOC & HAYDN PRIZES
Dustin Breshears, violin
Valery Breshears, violin
Colin Breshears, viola
Starla Breshears, cello
Stars Aligned Siblings is an all-sibling string quartet ages 8, 11, 13, and 14 years-old. They have toured internationally at festivals and events in the United Kingdom, Argentina, Mexico, and in the United States. Formerly Little Stars Trio, the siblings have appeared on NBC TV's Little Big Shots with host Steve Harvey and on ITV's Little Big Shots in the U.K. They have performed as soloists and as a quartet at Iguazú en Concierto Festival in Argentina and at Festival Alfonso Ortiz Tirado in Mexico. In the United States they have performed on Michael Cerbelli's The Hot List, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Gala, Festival Napa Valley, Bear Valley Music Festival, MTAC State Convention banquet, Presidio concert series in San Francisco, National Guild for Community Arts Education Conference, and for Steinway Society sponsored outreach to local schools in their community. Stars Aligned Siblings have won numerous awards in chamber music, including 1st Place Chicago International Music Competition - Amateur Division, 1st Place & Outstanding Gold Medalist Award of U.S. Open Music Competition, 1st Place U.S. International Music Competition, 1st Place MTAC VOCE State Finals, 1st Place DVC-HNU Strings Competition, and 1st Place Sacramento Chamber Music Society Competition. In addition to their chamber music awards, the siblings have also received 1st Place in numerous solo competitions, and have performed individually as soloists with over ten different orchestras since the ages of six. Since quarantine the Stars Aligned Siblings have performed virtual concerts in Paris, Argentina, and have performed on programs hosted by Christopher O’Riley and Gil Shaham. They recently won 3rd place in the Piero Farulli International Competition for Young String Quartets where they also received the youngest ensemble award. The quartet will be featured on NPR's From The Top, Episode 398, and also on From The Top's virtual concert in a history-making performance as the only all-sibling string quartet to have ever appeared on the show. Stars Aligned Siblings is taught in the Heifetz tradition of chamber playing by Ayke Agus, violin protégé and accompanist of the legendary, Jascha Heifetz. Additionally all four siblings attend the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Pre-College Division.
DAJJ QUARTET
SILVER MEDALISTS
Anna Linder, violin
Mathias Koo, violin
Victoria Phillips, viola
Kate Fornshell, cello
The Dajj Quartet was first formed at the Chamber Music Connection in 2015 under the mentorship of Artistic Director, Deborah Price. The current ensemble is made up of violinists Anna Linder and Mathias (“Chewy”) Koo, violist Victoria Phillips, and cellist Kate Fornshell. Dajj has shared many wonderful experiences together including outreach performances, rehearsals, coachings, masterclasses, and residencies with members of the Sphinx Virtuosi, Calidore, Callisto, Cavani, Dover, KASA, Hausmann, and Harlem Quartets. Members of Dajj have also participated in the 2020 Your Body Is Your Strad Institute hosted by the Caroga Arts Collective. Dajj has also performed for Christine’s Christmas, benefiting the Christine Wilson Foundation raising over $1,100,000 for local children’s charities, as members of the CMC Conservatory Chamber Orchestra.
Dajj is coached by a team of CMC associated faculty including Deborah Price, Stephanie Price-Wong, and Aaron Schwartz. Since 2015, the Dajj Quartet has enjoyed participating in national competitions including the 2019 WDAV YCMC, receiving 1st Place & Audience Prize; 2019 and 2020 Coltman Chamber Music Competition, receiving 2nd Prize; and the 2018/2019 Fischoff where they participated as semi-finalists. Founding violinist Anna Linder, received the Bronze Medal in the 2017, and Gold Medal and Haydn Prize in the 2018 St. Paul String Quartet Competition, and the entire Dajj Quartet is honored to represent the Chamber Music Connection as 2021 SPSQC Finalists. This past March, Dajj performed as a finalist in the 2021 Coltman competition, and in May, they will participate in the quarter-finals of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. This summer, in addition to continuing with CMC, Dajj Quartet will study at the prestigious Encore Chamber Music Program with violinist Jinjoo Cho and the Cavani String Quartet.
OMAGGIO STRING QUARTET
BRONZE MEDALISTS
Abigail Park, violin
Tara Hagle, violin
Elinor Detmer, violin
Jan Vargas Nedvetsky, cello
Omaggio String Quartet was formed in the fall of 2020 at the Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, a pre-college training program for gifted musicians. The quartet is comprised of Academy Fellows Abigail Park and Tara Hagle, violins; Elinor Detmer, viola; and Jan Vargas Nedvetsky, cello. The quartet is coached by artist faculty member Mathias Tacke. “Omaggio” is an Italian word that means homage, tribute, or gift. The string quartet would like every performance to be a tribute to the composer and a gift to the listeners. They chose the word “omaggio” to express their love and appreciation for performing, and their gratitude for the opportunity to share music with their audience.
Representing cultural diversity in music, Omaggio Quartet members blend Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Colombian cultures and speak several different languages. As solo performers, members of Omaggio quartet have had many individual achievements throughout their musical careers. As a group, Omaggio String Quartet has made the most of the limited by the pandemic time together to prepare and record a wonderful program of chamber music selections, as well as organize outdoor performances and participate in virtual recitals and master classes. In April 2021 Omaggio String Quartet was featured in a live-streamed master class with members of Arianna Quartet; was selected as a quarterfinalist in the 2021 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition to be held in May 2021; and was named a finalist in the 2021 St. Paul String Quartet Competition. Abigail, Tara, Elinor and Jan are profoundly grateful for every opportunity to share their music with the virtual, and, when possible, live audiences.
Omaggio plays Prokofiev Quartet No.