On April 1, aspiring young area musicians will gather in Floyd to participate in a classical string master class. Instructors for the class are the members of the Julius Quartet – violinists Helen Hyun Jeong Lee and David Do, violist John Batchelder and cellist Byron Hogan. Hailed by the The Bennington Banner as “the cap
tivating young string quartet,” the group, formed in 2012, performs in venues around the country and was awarded 1st prize at the first annual MA-ASTA String Quartet/Quintet Competition. Currently, the quartet is the Graduate String Quartet in Residence at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University where they work with the renowned Shanghai Quartet.
In addition to performing, the members of the Julius Quartet are advocates for educational workshops/ outreach events and enjoy providing student instruction. Violist John Batchelder states “As a quartet, we are compelled by a deep excitement to pass on our knowledge of instrumental playing, as well as music’s incredible power of connectivity and communication, to the younger generations of musicians. It is incredibly rewarding to witness a student’s discovery in their music making, reminding us of our own musical journeys and the guidance we received when we were their age.”
The Julius Quartet will perform in concert on April 1 at 7:30 pm at the Floyd Center for the Arts where tickets can be purchased by calling 540-745-2784. The master class and concert are co-sponsored by Virginia’s Blue Ridge Music Festival and the Floyd Center for the Arts.