String Soloists Master Class with the Candide String Quartet

The Candide Quartet, formed in 2023, is comprised of Juilliard undergraduate violinists Chili Ekman and Henry Rogers, violist Pearl de la Motte, and cellist Vanny Hu. Undergoing their second full year as a quartet, the group is committed to exploring the chamber music repertoire, gaining performing experience, and learning from the artistry of past generations. Having a shared love for Candide and Voltaire’s philosophies, the group embodies the sentiments of appreciation for the camaraderie and dedication that they feel are inherent in the novel and string quartet playing.

During the summer of 2024, the quartet attended residencies at Music in the Vineyards and Madeline Island Chamber Music. Upon their return to school, they had the honor to work with Caroline Shaw and perform the Juilliard premiere of her work Plan and Elevation at Juilliard’s first annual Fall Festival. They are currently in residence at the MacPhail Center for Music and have recently presented outreach concerts and given masterclasses around Minneapolis.

The Candide Quartet has been coached and mentored by many esteemed musicians including David Finckel, Daniel Phillips, Paul Neubauer, Robert Levin, Joseph Lin, Brian Zeger and David Kim. They have also worked with many of today’s leading quartets, including the Miro Quartet, American Quartet, Harlem Quartet and the Pacifica Quartet, among others.

The group actively takes on performance opportunities and outreach events in New York City as well as around the country. In March, they worked with the Dvorak American Heritage Association to perform a concert at the Bohemian National Hall honoring Bedrich Smetana’s 200th birthday. In August, the quartet gave musical presentations and talks about “The Brief Evolution of the String Quartet” at various Boys and Girls Clubs and retirement homes in Napa. At their residencies over the summer, the quartet had the opportunity to give masterclasses and coach developing high-school quartets.