Zapdós Quartet Shines at Stanford Verbier Festival
Gábor Takács-Nagy in masterclass with Isaiah Iny-Woods, violin
Young Chamber Musicians celebrates another milestone as our Zapdós Quartet recently returned from the Verbier Chamber Orchestra festival and residency, presented by Stanford Live and the Stanford Music Department. The festival, held on Stanford University’s campus, focused on the intricate works of the Second Viennese School, with the quartet delivering a standout performance of Anton Webern’s Six Bagatelles on Wednesday night.
The Zapdós Quartet’s invitation to the Verbier residency underscores their artistry. Working under the guidance of Stanford faculty cellist Christopher Costanza and renowned violinist-conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy, the ensemble honed their interpretation of Webern’s Six Bagatelles in two separate masterclasses during the week. Costanza praised the group’s dedication: “Your performance… was absolutely first rate… You represented YCM in the best of all possible ways.”
The Wednesday night performance consisted primarily of students from Stanford University with the Zapdós Quartet being the only high school aged ensemble there. In addition to Schoenberg, pieces by Webern, Berg, and Mahler were also performed at the concert.
Zapdós Quartet (Isaiah Iny-Woods, Andre Lu, Connor Chin, Irei Fromme) take a curtain call at Stanford University's Bing Concert Hall.
The residency not only provided world-class mentorship but also represented the first collaboration between YCM and Stanford University. Costanza notes that he felt that the “[Zapdós Quartet’s] contribution to this important collaborative experience has paved the way for future Stanford-YCM interactions,“ signaling possible exciting opportunities ahead for our students.
The Zapdós Quartet’s success at this festival and residency, a platform typically reserved for emerging professionals and college students, highlights the impact our students are making in the music world. This achievement stands as a testament to the power of “learning through listening and performing.”