New York Philharmonic Announces The New York Philharmonic String Quartet

The New York Philharmonic has announced the formation of the New York Philharmonic String Quartet, comprising Concertmaster Frank Huang, Principal Associate Concertmaster Sheryl Staples, Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps, and Principal Cello Carter Brey.

The New York Philharmonic String Quartet will make its debut as the solo ensemble in John Adams's Absolute Jest, in celebration of the composer's 70th birthday year, in New York, March 9-11, 2017, led by Music Director Alan Gilbert. The ensemble will reprise the work on the Orchestra's EUROPE / SPRING 2017 tour in April 2017: they will perform at London's Barbican Centre as part of the Philharmonic's third residency at the Barbican Centre under the auspices of its International Associates initiative, and at the newly opened Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. During the tour the New York Philharmonic String Quartet will also perform Dvo?ák's String Quartet in F major, American, at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg Chamber Music Hall following the Orchestra's concert earlier that evening. In July 2017 the ensemble will perform during the Philharmonic's annual summer residency at Bravo! Vail. In the 2017-18 season, the ensemble will make its New York recital debut at 92nd Street Y on November 12, 2017, performing Mendelssohn's String Quartet in F minor; Beethoven's String Quartet No. 4; and Dvo?ák's String Quartet in F major, American; the performance will be co-presented by the New York Philharmonic and 92nd Street Y.

"We are so pleased that these four incredibly talented musicians from the New York Philharmonic will now perform as the New York Philharmonic String Quartet at home and abroad," said Matthew VanBesien, President of the New York Philharmonic. "The New York Philharmonic String Quartet will represent both the magnificence of this Orchestra and the individual artistry of Frank Huang, Sheryl Staples, Cynthia Phelps, and Carter Brey. Chamber music has always been important to the Philharmonic, as having our musicians come together in smaller ensembles really allows you to hear their unique gifts. Audiences are in for a treat!"

The New York Philharmonic String Quartet is managed by Opus 3 Artists. The quartet will make worldwide appearances; visit opus3artists.com/ artists/new-york-philharmonic-string-quartet to stay updated on the quartet.

New York Philharmonic String Quartet
The New York Philharmonic String Quartet comprises four Principal musicians from the Orchestra: Concertmaster Frank Huang (The Charles E. Culpeper Chair); Principal Associate Concertmaster Sheryl Staples (The Elizabeth G. Beinecke Chair); Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps (The Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Rose Chair); and Carter Brey (The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Chair). The group was formed in January 2017, during the Philharmonic's 175th anniversary season; the New York Philharmonic String Quartet will make its debut as the solo ensemble in John Adams's Absolute Jest in New York in March 2017, and will reprise the work on the Orchestra's EUROPE / SPRING 2017 tour. All four members are multiple prize winners, have appeared as concerto soloists with the Philharmonic and orchestras around the world, and have appeared frequently in the Philharmonic's chamber music series at David Geffen Hall and Merkin Concert Hall.

Frank Huang has performed at the Marlboro Music Festival, Ravinia's Steans Institute, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, and Caramoor. He frequently participates in Musicians from Marlboro's tours, and was selected by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to be a member of the prestigious CMS Two program. Before joining the Houston Symphony as concertmaster in 2010, Frank Huang held the position of first violinist of the Grammy Award-winning Ying Quartet.

Sheryl Staples has performed chamber music for U.S. Ambassadors in London, Paris, Berlin, Beijing, and Hong Kong. She toured Mexico, Brazil, and Chile in 2013, and she has appeared at summer festivals including La Jolla Music Society's SummerFest, Boston Chamber Music Society, Salt Bay Chamberfest, and the chamber music festivals of Santa Fe, Mainly Mozart, Seattle, Aspen, Sarasota, Martha's Vineyard, Strings Music Festival, and Brightstar. She appears on three Stereophile CDs with the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

Cynthia Phelps performs with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Jupiter Chamber Players, and the Santa Fe, La Jolla, Seattle, Chamber Music Northwest, and Bridgehampton festivals. She has appeared with the Guarneri, Tokyo, Orion, American, Brentano, and Prague Quartets, and the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio. She is also a founding member of the chamber group Les Amies, a flute-harp-viola group with Philharmonic Principal Harp Nancy Allen and flutist Carol Wincenc.

Carter Brey has made regular appearances with the Tokyo and Emerson string quartets as well as The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and at festivals such as Spoleto (both in the United States and Italy), and the Santa Fe and La Jolla Chamber Music festivals. He and pianist Christopher O'Riley recorded Le Grand Tango: Music of Latin America, a disc of compositions from South America and Mexico released on Helicon Records.

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