The Program

Mozart: Quartet in D Minor, K. 421
Szymanowski: Quartet in C Major, Op. 37
Mozart: Quintet in D Major, K. 593

The Artists

Officially formed in 1969 at the Juilliard School, the Tokyo String Quartet traces its origins to the Toho School of Music in Tokyo, where the founding members were deeply influenced by Professor Hideo Saito. Instilled with a deep commitment to chamber music, the original members of what would become the Tokyo Quartet eventually came to America for further study with Robert Mann, Raphael Hillyer, and Claus Adam. Soon after its formation, the quartet won First Prize at the Coleman Competition, the Munich Competition, and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions.  Since then, the quartet has collaborated with a remarkable array of artists and composers, built a comprehensive catalogue of critically acclaimed recordings, and established a distinguished teaching record.  Today the quartet comprises violist Kazuhide Isomura, a founding member; second violinist Kikuei Ikeda, who joined in 1974; cellist Clive Greensmith, a 1999 arrival; and first violinist Martin Beaver, with the group since the fall of 2002. The Tokyo has served as quartet-in-residence on the faculty of Yale University's School of Music since 1976 and has made over 30 recordings, seven of which have been nominated for Grammy Awards.  The quartet performs on a group of renowned Stradivarius instruments known as "The Paganini Quartet."  For more information on the Tokyo Quartet visit www.tokyoquartet.com.

Roberto Díaz is former principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra and President of the Curtis Institute of Music.  As a renowned recitalist and professor of viola at Curtis, he follows in the footsteps of renowned soloist/directors such as Rudolf Serkin and Gary Graffman.  In addition to regular recitals, he is frequently heard as a member of the Díaz Trio, with violinist Andrés Cárdenes and cellist Andrès Díaz, with whom he has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico and Chile.  Roberto Díaz has received numerous awards, including prizes at the Naumburg and Munich international viola competitions, as well as the Philadelphia Orchestra’s 2006 C. Hartman Kuhn Award, given annually to “the member of the Philadelphia Orchestra who has shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standards and the reputation of the Philadelphia Orchestra.”