Cleonice Wins Lad Prize

Congratulations to the Trio Cleonice, which has just been awarded the 2014 John Lad Prize presented by the St. Lawrence String Quartet in collaboration with Stanford (University) Live and Vancouver's Music on Main concert series. Alumni of NEC’s Professional Piano Trio Training Program under the direction of Vivian Hornik Weilerstein, the Cleonice (violinist Ari Isaacman-Beck, cellist Gwen Krosnick and pianist Emely Phelps) will appear on the two concert series during the 2015-16 season.

The genesis of the prize was the Trio’s participation last summer in the St. Lawrence Quartet’s annual seminar, during which they coached with the senior quartet and performed on the Bing Concert Hall stage at Stanford University.

Ensemble-in-Residence at Stanford, the St. Lawrence Quartet is currently celebrating its 25th season. It has been honoring emerging chamber ensembles for four years through the Lad prize, named after the SLSQ’s dear friend John Lad (Stanford ’74), a violist and ardent chamber music lover who passed away in 2007. Lad was a decades-long practitioner of Tai Chi and a regular lecturer in Philosophy. At the time of his death, he was teaching Tai Chi in the physical education department at Columbia/Barnard University.

The SLSQ was initially introduced to Lad when they were preparing R. Murray Shafer's String Quartet no. 6 (“Parting the Wild Horses Mane”), a composition which combines string quartet with the movements of Tai Chi. Lad went on to perform and tour with the ensemble across North America and Europe for several seasons.  He quickly became a fixture at the SLSQ’s summer Chamber Music Seminar, playing viola in an assigned group, leading early morning Tai Chi classes in Braun Courtyard, playing a Tai Chi based ball toss game with eager participants, then reading chamber music late into the night.

“John Lad’s passion for playing string quartets was addictive,” says SLSQ co-founder and first violinist Geoff Nuttall. “His devotion to music against all odds and his total lack of ego are both qualities that are crucial to the success of any young ensemble. His spirit lives on strongly in our memory and at the seminar.

“We believe Trio Cleonice embodies the passion John Lad carried for chamber music. And we are confident the trio will be at home on the main stage of any concert organization in America.  Stanford's Bing stage awaits!”

Upon learning the news, cellist Gwen Krosnick wrote, “Receiving the John Lad Prize is an incredible honor for Trio Cleonice, and it is especially touching coming from the amazing St. Lawrence String Quartet, whom we love and admire so much. We are deeply grateful, and also very excited to return to the west coast and play for the wonderful community at Stanford again."