The Academy’s robust chamber music program has resulted in numerous national competition gold, silver and bronze medals since its inception in 2006. Chamber ensembles are coached by Academy artist faculty.

Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition

Academy chamber groups have taken first place in the Junior Division in four of the past five years and earned five additional top medals.

Junior Division Gold Medal (6)

  • 2018 - Kairos String Quartet - Joshua Brown and Julian Rhee, violin/viola, Thompson Wang, violin, Lydia Rhea, cello
  • 2013 - Quartet Lumière  - Rebecca Benjamin and Gallia Kastner, violin, Mira Williams, viola, Josiah Yoo, cello
  • 2012 - Quartet Stracciatella - Erika Gray and Hyun-Jae Lim, violin, Stephanie Block, viola, Johannes Gray, cello
  • 2010 - Quartet Danaë  - Zachary Spontak and Sophia Cho, violin, Leah Ferguson, viola, Benjamin Fried, cello
  • 2009 - Aurelia String Quartet - Susie Koh and Laura Park, violin, Arianna Smith, viola, Allan Steele, cello
  • 2008 -  Quartet Polaris - Andrea Jarrett and Vincent Meklis, violin, Matthew Lipman, viola, Gabrial Cabezas, cello

Silver Medal (5)

  • 2023 Pelios String Quartet - Ellen Zhou, violin, Clark Snavely, violin, Tristan Zhu, viola, and Amelia Zitoun, cello
  • 2020 Dasani String Quartet - Isabella Brown, Katya Moeller, violin, Zechary Mo, viola, Brandon Cheng, cello (Virtual Competition)
  • 2014 Vox Quartet - Hansuh Rhee and Serena Harnack, violin, Mira Williams, viola, Nathan Mo, cello
  • 2010 Emerald Quartet - Kenneth Jones-Madrid, Ethan Hoppe, Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, violin/viola, Alexander Hersh, cello
  • 2008 Ridere Quartet - Emma Steele, Ryan Meehan, Samantha Bennett, violin/viola, Mindy Park, cello

Bronze Medal (5)

  • 2022 Peresson String Quartet - Katya Moeller, Kelly Kim, Sidney Lee, and Serge Kalinovsky, and coach Sang Mee Lee.
  • 2016 Vibrante String Quartet - Hannah White and Zachary Brandon, violin, Freya Irani, viola, Leevy Williams, cello
  • 2012 Quartet Ardella - Laura Park and Jennifer Cha, violin, Devon Naftzger, viola, Ben Solomonow, cello
  • 2009 Quartet Danae - Natsuki Kumagai and Sophia Cho, violin, Leah Ferguson, viola, Ben Fried, cello
  • 2008 Aurelia String Quartet - Laura Park and Susie Koh, violin, Arianna Smith, viola, Allan Steele, cello

Honorable Mention (2)

  • 2015 Atara String Quartet - Hannah White and Karisa Chiu, violin, Tess Krope, viola, Krystian Chiu, cello
  • 2012 Pallas Trio - Kelly Talim, violin, Mariel Werner, cello, Kate Liu, piano

St. Paul String Quartet Competition

  • 2024 - 1st, Gold - Elysian String Quartet, Audience Price and BIPOC (Nolan Chang, Kai Isoke Ali-Landing, Vivian Van de Sype-Cucu, Katarina Kenney, coached by Claudia Lasareff-Mironoff)
  • 2024 - 2nd, Silver – Quartet Meraviglia (Elle Cho, Lauren Kim, Emily Chen, Lucy Wu, coached by Rodolfo Vieira)
  • 2023 - 1st and Best Haydn - Pelios String Quartet (Ellen Zhou, violin, Clark Snavely, violin, Tristan Zhu, viola, and Amelia Zitoun, cello)
  • 2023 - 3rd - Calcifer String Quartet - Zak Chen, Kara Ilhara, violins, Leo Zupko, viola, Jan Vargas Nedvetsky, cello, and Haydn Honorable Mention
  • 2022 - 1st, Gold Medal, Best Haydn Performance Winner, and Honorable Mention BIPOC performance - Peresson String Quartet (Katya Moeller, Kelly Kim, Sidney Lee, and Serge Kalinovsky, coached by Sang Mee Lee
  • 2022 - 2nd, Silver Medal - Omaggio Quartet (Tara Hagle, Abigail Park, Elinor Detmer, and Jan Nedvetsky, coached by Mathias Tacke
  • 2016 - 3rd, Quartet Degas - Maya Buchanan and Joshua Brown, violin, Tess Krope, viola, Josiah Yoo, cello
  • 2015 - 1st, Gold, Atara String Quartet - Hannah White and Karisa Chiu, violin, Tess Krope, viola, Krystian Chiu, cello
  • 2014 - 2nd, Silver, Atara String Quartet - Hannah White and Karisa Chiu, violin, Tess Krope, viola, Krystian Chiu, cello
  • 2012 - Audience Prize and Haydn Prize for best interpretation of the master's work - Quartet Ventoso - Erika Gray and Jennifer Cha, violin, Caitlin Adamson, viola, Johannes Gray, cello
  • 2010 - 1st, Gold, Emerald String Quartet - Kenneth Jones-Madrid, Ethan Hoppe, Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, violin/viola, Alexander Hersh, cello
  • 2nd, Silver, Quartet Danae - Zachary Spontak and Sophia Cho, violin, Leah Ferguson, viola, Ben Fried, cello
  • 2009 1st, Gold, Aurelia String Quartet - Laura Park and Susie Koh, violin, Arianna Smith, viola, Allan Steele, cello
  • 2nd, Silver, Quartet Danae - Natsuki Kumagai and Sophia Cho, violin, Leah Ferguson, viola, Benjamin Fried, cello
  • 2008 - Silver, Quartet Polaris - Andrea Jarrett and Vincent Meklis, violins, Matthew Lipman, viola, Gabriel Cabezas
  • 2007 - 1st, Gold, Ridere Quartet - Emma Steele, violin, Ryan Meehan, violin, Samantha Bennett, violin, Mindy Park, cello
  • 2nd, Silver, Zeloso Quartet - Scot Moore and Janis Sakai, violins, Moira Bette, viola, Eliott Lee, cello 
The Academy Concerts

Concerts

The Academy presents four chamber music concerts in Nichols Concert Hall each year. Piano duos and trios, string trios, and quartets offer an array of classical favorites. Chamber groups often perform at high-profile cultivation fundraisers and civic events in the Chicago area. The Academy chamber groups have a track record of accomplishments with international, national and regional first-place wins.

recent Academy Chamber Music Performances

  • Debussy String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10
  • Skoryk Melody in A minor
  • Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
  • Ravel String Quartet in F Major
  • Prokofiev String Quartet No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50
  • Villa-Lobos String Quartet No. 6 (Brazilian)
  • Bartók String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 75
  • Smetana Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15
  • Beethoven Piano Trio in B flat Major, Op. 11 (Glassenhauer Trio)
  • Haydn String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76, No. 3
  • Puccini Crisantemi  
  • Ginastera String Quartet No. 1, Op. 20 No. 1
  • Taneyev String Trio in D Major, Op. 21  
  • Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66  
  • Babajanian Piano Trio in F sharp Minor  
  • Grieg String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27  
  • Beethoven String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4
  • Rachmaninoff Six Pieces for Piano Duet, Op. 11
  • Beethoven Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat Major, Op. 1, No. 1
  • Brahms Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major, Op. 87
Kairos String Quartet | Mendelssohn String Quartet No. 6