DOVER STRING QUARTET

Joel Link, violin | Bryan Lee, violin | Julianne Lee, viola | Camden Shaw, cello
Named one of the greatest string quartets of the last 100 years by BBC Music Magazine, the two-time GRAMMY-nominated Dover Quartet is one of the world’s most in-demand chamber ensembles. The Dover Quartet is the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble-in-Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music and holds additional residencies at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University and the Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere festival. The group’s awards include a stunning sweep of all prizes at the 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition, grand and first prizes at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, and prizes at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition. Its honors include the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award and Lincoln Center’s Hunt Family Award.

Recent collaborators include, among others, Emanuel Ax, Ray Chen, Leif Ove Andsnes, the Escher String Quartet and Roomful of Teeth. In 2022, the quartet premiered Steven Mackey’s theatrical-musical work Memoir, alongside arx duo and actor-narrator Natalie Christa. They also recently premiered works by Mason Bates, Marc Neikrug and Chris Rogerson.

The Dover Quartet’s highly acclaimed three-volume recording, Beethoven’s Complete String Quartets (Cedille Records), was hailed as “meticulously balanced, technically clean-as-a-whistle and intonationally immaculate” (The Strad). The quartet’s discography also includes Encores (Brooklyn Classical), a recording of 10 popular movements from the string quartet repertoire; The Schumann Quartets (Azica Records), which was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance; Voices of Defiance: 1943, 1944, 1945 (Cedille Records), which was lauded as “undoubtedly one of the most compelling discs released this year” (The Wall Street Journal).

The Dover Quartet was formed at Curtis in 2008; its name pays tribute to Dover Beach by fellow Curtis alumnus Samuel Barber. The Quartet’s faculty residency at Curtis integrates teaching and mentorship, a robust international performance career and a cutting-edge digital presence. Working closely with students in the Nina von Maltzahn String Quartet Program, the Dover Quartet coaches and mentors the most promising young string quartets to nurture a new generation of leading professional chamber ensembles.

The Dover Quartet proudly endorses Thomastik-Infeld strings.

Thank you to our Festival Corporate Partner!