Arianna String Quartet (Arianna_SQ), Quartet

Biography

Hailed for their outstanding musicianship, the Arianna String Quartet has firmly established itself as one of America's finest chamber ensembles. Formed in 1992, they garnered national attention by winning the Grand Prize in the 1994 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, and First Prize in both the Coleman and Carmel Chamber Music Competitions.

The Arianna String Quartet has appeared throughout North America, Europe and Asia, including critically acclaimed performances at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and Tokyo's Suntory Hall.  They have been heard in live nationally broadcast performances in Osaka, Japan, on Canada's CBC radio, and on National Public Radio's "Performance Today" program.

Their recordings include for Albany Records and Urtext Digital Classics, and they recently signed a long-term contract with Centaur Records to record the complete quartets of Beethoven, Bartók, Janácek and the Mozart "Haydn" Quartets. The first of these discs, the quartets of Janácek, will be released later in 2010, with Beethoven's Op.18 quartets to follow in 2011.

Based in St. Louis since 2000, the Arianna String Quartet serves as tenured quartet-in-residence at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Highlights for 2011 include concert tours in Brazil and South Africa.

John McGrosso has been the first violinist of the Arianna String Quartet since 1998. He has been featured as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Mr. McGrosso received his bachelors and masters degrees from Juilliard.

Violinist David Gillham holds his Bachelor's degree from the University of Manitoba, Master's degree from the Peabody Conservatory, and Performer's Diploma from Indiana University. In 2003,David was awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee medal for his contributions to the arts.

The newest member of the Arianna, violist Joanna Mendoza has performed and taught at Interlochen Arts Camp, Chamber Music at the Barn, Mammoth Lakes Music Festival, and the Bellingham Music Festival. Ms. Mendoza earned her degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and The Juilliard School.

A founding member of the Arianna, cellist Kurt Baldwin was awarded the Grand Prize in the Fischoff National
Chamber Music Competition. Mr. Baldwin received his bachelor of music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory, and earned a master of music degree from the New England Conservatory.