Omer Quartet Joins NEC's Professional Training Program

New England Conservatory announces the Omer Quartet as the 2015 selection for its Professional String Quartet Training program. The Omer Quartet comprises Mason Yu '15 M.M., first violin; Erica Tursi, second violin; Jinsun Hong '13 M.M., '15 G.D., viola; Alex Cox, cello.

The Conservatory offers the two-year residency to exceptional ensembles that show the talent and commitment necessary to pursue a concert career. The program consists of regular coaching sessions and meetings with Paul Katz, the program’s director, additional study with NEC’s renowned string faculty, weekly individual studio instruction, and an annual recital in Jordan Hall.

Erica Tursi, second violinist of the Omer Quartet, expressed the group’s sentiments about the upcoming residency:

“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Training Program,” said Tursi. “The character and warmth of the school coupled with the outstanding faculty make it a perfect fit for us. We look forward to two years of growth and exciting opportunities and we are certain that under Paul Katz’s mentorship, we will reach new heights!” she stated.

NEC’s Professional String Quartet Training program has helped shape the artistic development of distinguished quartets such as the Jupiter, Parker, Ariel and Harlem Quartets. During the two-year residency, a full tuition scholarship and a $10,000 stipend is provided for each student per year.

“We are very excited to welcome the Omer Quartet to NEC this fall,” said Tom Novak, Interim President. “They join a very impressive list of quartets which have participated in this program and won several major international competitions, plus they serve on the faculty of major music schools and conservatories. NEC’s Professional String Quartet Training program provides the highest level of education in all aspects of artistry and career development, and we look forward to seeing the Omer Quartet thrive in this environment,” he said.

"NEC is the ideal setting for a professional quartet training program—perhaps no other conservatory has an artist faculty with so much depth and experience in string quartets,” said the program’s music director, Paul Katz. “The Omer Quartet will now spend two years immersed in training and in the study of some of the most profound repertoire in Western music. The goal is to prepare them for a successful concertizing career just as the many illustrious groups that have preceded them," he said.

About the Omer Quartet

Comprising NEC and Juilliard graduates, the Omer String Quartet was established at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2009. In 2013, the Quartet was awarded the Grand Prize and named Gold Medal winner of the 40th Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. As part of their award, they completed an eight-concert tour in the Midwest last October and made several concert appearances at the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy.

As avid educators, the quartet devotes time to creating original interactive and educational programs. The group performs at schools, hospitals, college classes, and unconventional venues to engage audiences through the exploration of the string quartet medium. In addition, the Omer Quartet has presented masterclasses across the country, including for ensembles of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, Midwest Young Artists, and Valparaiso University.

The Omer Quartet has also performed across North America and Europe in venues such as the Preston Bradley Hall in Chicago’s Cultural Center, Rolston Recital Hall at the Banff Centre, Sherwood Auditorium in San Diego, and several historic landmarks in Northern Italy. They have appeared on the WFMT radio network and the Aspen Public Radio. As guest artists, they have performed in the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Cleveland Chamber Music Society, Western Piedmont Symphony Chamber Classics Series, Fontana Chamber Arts, and the Palm Beach Atlantic University Distinguished Artist Series. Since its inception, the quartet has worked extensively with the Cavani Quartet, Peter Salaff, Donald Weilerstein, Mark Steinberg, and members of the Miro Quartet. They have also been mentored by Roger Tapping, Earl Carlyss, Samuel Rhodes, and members of the Takács, Jupiter, and Juilliard Quartets.

Find information about NEC’s Professional String Quartet Training Program on the NEC website.

For more information about the Omer Quartet Residency or NEC’s Professional String Quartet Training Program, please contact:

Hank Mou, College Artistic Manager
New England Conservatory of Music
Phone: 1-617-585-1335
Email: Hank.Mou@necmusic.edu