THE QUARTET
Formed in 2022 at the Schulich School of Music under the tutelage of André Roy, the Katarina String Quartet has quickly emerged as one of Canada's leading young string quartets. The KSQ are recent Gold Medal and BIPOC Prize winners of the 2024 St. Paul Chamber Music Competition. In 2023, they were first prize winners of the Canadian Music Competition and semi-finalists of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. In Fall 2024, they will begin their position as the Graduate String Quartet in Residence at The Juilliard School.
Known for their evocative interpretations and deeply personal sound, the KSQ has worked with members of the Alban Berg Quartet, Dover Quartet, and the Danel Quartet. The quartet has studied extensively with Prof. Gerhard Schulz at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove as well as with the Pacifica Quartet and Atar Arad at the 2023 Professional String Quartet Studies program in Bloomington, Indiana. The quartet participated as a senior quartet at the McGill International String Quartet Academy (MISQA) in August 2023 and was most recently featured at the Robert Mann String Quartet Institute in New York City. The KSQ have also been featured artists at central classical music societies in Montreal and cherish their connection to the city.
The members of the KSQ aim to pursue repertoire and projects that intersect with their musical and moral values, with a focus on centering inclusivity, sustainability, and accessibility. The quartet takes its name from Katarina Guarneri, the wife of the legendary violinmaker Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu; she made violins under her husband’s guise during the most productive years of his career and is rumored to be responsible for many of del Gesu’s most successful violins. Inspired by Katarina, the KSQ pays tribute to the many forgotten women whose uncredited contribution to the industry paved the way for music to be shared for years to come.
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Canadian violinist Jeanel Liang has appeared on stages across North America and Europe. She is a recent graduate of the Schulich School of Music at McGill University where she studied under the tutelage of Violaine Melancon and Axel Strauss. As a soloist, she has appeared with the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Victoria Symphony, and the McGill Baroque Orchestra. She has been a finalist at the Prix d'Europe and the Canadian Music Competition, and a semi-finalist at the Golden Violin Award. Jeanel has been a fellow at various music festivals such as Kneisel Hall, IMS Prussia Cove, MISQA, Mozarteum Summer Academy, Aspen Music Festival and School, Domaine Forget and QuartetFest West. Jeanel plays on a 1700 Carlo of Bologna Tononi violin, and a Hermann Luger bow, generously loaned by Canimex Inc.
JÉRÔME CHIASSON
Originally from Quebec City, violinist Jérôme has performed across North America and Europe, and has been awarded several prizes and distinctions, most notably at the Prix d’Europe, the Golden Violin Award, the Canadian Music Competition Stepping- Stone, as well as the Festival-Concours de Musique in Sorel-Tracy and Sherbrooke. Jérôme has attended renowned music festivals such as Kneisel Hall, IMS Prussia Cove, Mozarteum Sommerakademie, and MISQA. He has had the opportunity to work with esteemed violinists such as Midori, Gerhard Schulz, Zakhar Bron, Pierre Amoyal, Pavel Vernikov, Cho Liang Lin, Kerson Leong, Paul Kantor, and Vadim Gluzman. Jérôme holds a Bachelor’s Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Violin Performance from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University where he studied under the tutelage of Violaine Melançon. Jérôme plays on an 1858 Jean Baptiste Vuillaume violin and a François Nicolas Voirin bow, graciously loaned by Canimex Inc.
CELIA MORIN
Celia Morin recently completed an Artist Diploma in Viola Performance at McGill University under the tutelage of André Roy, where she previously earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance with Jinjoo Cho. Displaying a natural musical intuition from an early age, Celia showcased her talents as a soloist with the Lakeshore Chamber Orchestra and embarked on a Canadian chamber music tour at the age of 14. Subsequently, she has enriched her musical journey by participating in summer festivals including the Domaine Forget International Music Festival, ENCORE Summer Academy, Orford Music Academy, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Celia finds inspiration in chamber music projects that foster sustainability and community building through local performances and is working with her quartet to realize such projects in the future.
MAYA ENSTAD
Hailing from Bellingham, Washington, cellist Maya Enstad is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Schulich School of Music where she studied with Amir Eldan and Elizabeth Dolin. Maya has appeared as a soloist at the Bellingham Festival of Music’s “Welcome Home” concert series, as well as with the BayShore Symphony. She has held fellowship positions at the Marrowstone Music Festival and at Bamfield’s Music by the Sea. An avid teacher, Maya has taught privately for 8 years, as well as at the Asociación Nacional de Conciertos in Panama City, Panama. Maya plays on an 1898 Carl Zach cello, generously on loan to her from the Carlsen Cello Foundation.
