Jacobs School’s new Kuttner Quartet gives debut concert
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 30, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The new Kuttner Quartet at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music debuts this Sunday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. in Bloomington's Auer Hall.
The Kuttner Quartet: (from left to right) Aaron Schwebel and Tim Kantor, violin; Davin Lee, cello; and Jonathan Gertner, viola.
The quartet, whose student members change annually, features four of the top string players in the school. The 2011-12 group comprises Tim Kantor and Aaron Schwebel, violin; Jonathan Gertner, viola; and Davin Lee, cello.
"We are very grateful for the help of our coach, Jorja Fleezanis, and will be coaching next semester with Atar Arad," said Kantor. "Each of us aspires to a musical career that allows us to play lots of chamber music, so this award gives us the unique opportunity to really focus on refining our skills as quartet players. We are working on a difficult program this semester—some of the greatest pieces in the repertoire—and to be able to devote ourselves to learning the intricacies of these works is invaluable."
On Sunday, Kuttner will perform Debussy's String Quartet in G Minor, Bartók's String Quartet No. 3 and Schumann's String Quartet No. 1.
About the Kuttner Quartet
Tim Kantor began studying the violin at the age of four and has performed throughout the world. He graduated with honors from Bowdoin College and has a master's degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has studied with Andrew Jennings, Steven Kecskemethy and Paul Kantor. He has participated in music festivals around the world, including the Zephyr Music Festival in Courmayeur, Italy, and at the Taos School of Music in New Mexico and the Banff Centre in Canada. Kantor's former string quartet, in which he played both violin and viola, was selected for the prestigious Quartet in the Community residency at the Banff Centre. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree studying with Jaime Laredo at the Jacobs School of Music.
Violinist Aaron Schwebel was born in Toronto, Ontario, and began his musical studies at the age of four. He holds a B.Mus. from McGill University Schulich School of Music and is currently pursuing a Master of Music at Indiana University as a student of Mauricio Fuks. Schwebel had his first solo concerto performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at age 17 and has since performed as a soloist with the McGill Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia Lanaudiere. Upon graduation from McGill, he won the Golden Violin Award, the largest privately funded music award in Canada. Devoted to music outreach, Schwebel cofounded Chamber Music Without Borders, a student-run outreach initiative established in 2008 that continues to present over 40 free concerts and musical events in the Montreal community each year.
Violist Jonathan (Yoni) Gertner has completed B.A. and Master of Music degrees in the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance as a student of Michael Gaisler and Hagai Shaham. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree at the IU Jacobs School of Music as a student of Atar Arad. Gertner has served as concertmaster of the Association of Baltic Academies Symphony Orchestra, the Jerusalem Strings ensemble and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance chamber orchestra, where he was also seated as principal viola chair. He has collaborated with the Kaprizma and the Meitar ensembles, the Israel Camerata and the Tel Aviv Soloists ensemble. He has performed as soloist with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and took part in all the major music festivals in Israel. Gertner has participated in master classes with Roberto Diaz, Miriam Fried, Hartmut Rohde, Yuri Gandelsman, The Pacifica Quartet and others. He received scholarships from the America-Israel cultural foundation and won prizes in the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance String Department Competition, and Chamber Music Competition.
Korean-born Davin Lee received her Bachelor in Music degree in cello performance from Korea National University of Arts in 2006 and recently finished her master's degree at Peabody Conservatory. She has performed as a soloist with the North Czech Philharmonic in Praha, the KBS Philharmonic in Seoul and the Korea National University of Arts Orchestra. Lee also has performed many recitals at venues such as the Kumho Young Artist Series, the Korea National University of Arts Rising Star Series, the Ogle Center Discovery Series and the Kennedy Center Millennium Series. She has taken master classes with cellists including Frans Halmerson, Arto Noras, David Geringas, Yoyo Ma, Tsuzumi, Ralph Kirshbaum and Jian Wang. Lee is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the IU Jacobs School of Music with Eric Kim.
