Competition Events
Senior Division - April 11, 2026
Junior Division - April 18, 2026
Live Streamed Video > > > >
2024 Prizewinners
Senior Division
KATARINA QUARTET
FIRST PRIZE & BIPOC AWARD
Jeanel Liang, violin (Berkeley, CA)
Jerome Chiasson, violin (Montréal, Québec)
Celia Morin, viola (Montréal, Québec)
Maya Enstad, cellist (Bellingham, WA)
Formed in 2022 at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University under Professor André Roy, the Katarina String Quartet are recent first prize winners of the Canadian Music Competition, semi-finalists of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and grand prize winners of the 2022 McGill Chamber Music Competition. Known for their evocative interpretations and deeply personal sound, the KSQ has performed for members of the Alban Berg Quartet, Dover Quartet, and the Danel Quartet. This past year, the quartet studied extensively with Prof. Gerhard Schulz at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove as well as with the Pacifica Quartet and Atar Arad at the 2023 Professional String Quartet Studies program in Bloomington, Indiana. The quartet participated as a senior quartet at the McGill International String Quartet Academy (MISQA) in August 2023 and was most recently featured at the Robert Mann String Quartet Institute in New York City. The KSQ have also been featured artists at central classical music societies in Montreal and look forward to continued engagements in the city in 2024. The members of the KSQ aim to pursue repertoire and projects that intersect with their musical and moral values, with a focus on centering inclusivity, sustainability, and accessibility. The quartet takes its name from Katarina Guarneri, the wife of the legendary violinmaker Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu; she made violins under her husband’s guise during the most productive years of his career and is rumored to be responsible for many of del Gesu’s most successful violins. Inspired by Katarina, the KSQ pays tribute to the many forgotten women whose uncredited contribution to the industry paved the way for music to be shared for years to come.
NOX QUARTET
SECOND PRIZE
Ava Kenney, violin (Madison, WI)
Eleanor Markey, violin (Wayland, MA)
Yu-Heng Wang, viola (Clifton Park, NJ)
Ari Freed, cello (New York City
The Nox Quartet is composed of New England Conservatory freshmen violinists Eleanor Markey and Ava Kenney, violist Yu-Heng Wang, and cellist Ari Freed. The members found each other through a mutual love of connecting with fellow humans through chamber music. They derive their name from the Latin word ‘nox’—translating to ‘night’— as the quartet found the greatest productivity with the lights in the rehearsal space turned off, where listening becomes the central mode of communication and cohesion. They have been mentored by the wonderful Merry Peckham and Mai Motobuchi. Through NEC, the Nox Quartet is a part of the Community Performances and Partnerships Program, where they have enjoyed performing for a variety of audiences throughout Boston, including guests at the Women’s Lunch Place and students at the Boston String Academy and Conservatory Lab Charter School.
Junior Division
ELYSIAN QUARTET
GOLD MEDALISTS, BIPOC PRIZE
Nolan Chang, violin (Chicago, IL)
Kai Isoke Ali-Landing, violin (Melbourne, FL)
Vivian Isabella Van de Sype Cucu, viola (Milwaukee, WI)
Katarina Kenney, cello (Madison, WI)
The Elysian Quartet is comprised of violinists Nolan Chang and
Kai Isoke Ali-Landing, violist Vivian Van de Sype-Cucu, and cellist Katarina Kenney. The quartet is coached by faculty member Claudia Lasareff-Mironoff. “Elysian” is a Greek word that symbolizes beauty, creativity, and divine inspiration. They chose this name with the hope of portraying the celestial and transcendent qualities this name represents in their performances.
QUARTET MERAVIGILA
SILVER MEDALISTS
Elle Cho, violin (Parkridge, IL)
Lauren Kim, violin (Hoffman Estates, IL)
Emily Kim, viola (Arlington Heights, IL)
Lucy Wu, cello (Milwaukee, WI)
Quartet Meraviglia is composed of violinists Lauren Kim, Elle Cho, and Emily Chen, and cellist Lucy Wu. All 4 students are Merit Scholarship fellows at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a training center for advanced pre-college musicians. Quartet Meraviglia is the overall winner of the 2024 Chicago National Chamber Music Competition in the Open Division and received honorable mention at 2024 A. N. & Pearl G. Barnett Chamber Competition.
ADEL STRING QUARTET
BRONZE MEDALISTS, HAYDN PRIZE
Lerchen Zhong, violin (Austin, TX)
Evelyn Liu, violin (Austin, TX)
Alexander Zhong, viola (Austin, TX)
Adriana Cheng, cello (Austin, TX)
Founded in 2020, the ADEL String Quartet came together as a group of close friends who attend Westwood High School in Austin, TX. ADEL are founding members of the local music organization, Project Melody, where they coordinate bringing ensembles and soloists into senior homes, hospitals and other public spaces, providing free concerts. ADEL members are leaders in their school symphony orchestra and have won positions in both region and all-state orchestras. They were recently featured on From the Top as members of the Westwood Orchestra program, and won best high school orchestra in the State of Texas under the direction of Joshua Thompson. In May of 2023, ADEL won first place for chamber music at the 10th Annual Young Musicians Festival in Austin, and were finalists in UIL chamber music competition 2024, first place in string & piano category. Coached by William Fedkenheuer and Leah Nelson, the ADEL quartet continues to evolve their group dynamic and personal strengths while creating more musical opportunities for the future.