Violinist Maia Cabeza and violist Emma Wernig join the UK-based quartet
The UK-based Doric Quartet has announced that it has two new members. Violinist Maia Cabeza replaces founding first violinist Alex Redington, and violist Emma Wernig replaces Hélène Clement. They join existing members, violinist Ying Xue and cellist John Myerscough.
The quartet wrote in a social media post on 15 November:
‘We are thrilled to welcome violinist Maia Cabeza and violist Emma Wernig to the Doric String Quartet at this very exciting stage in the group’s journey. We couldn’t be happier to embark on this new musical chapter with these two wonderful musicians!
We would like to extend our deepest thanks and love to Alex and Hélène and know that they will always be part of the Doric family.’
The two new members start with immediate effect.
Canadian–American violinist Maia Cabeza is currently co-leader of Aurora Orchestra and principal second violin with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Kammerakademie Potsdam. She won first prize at the 2013 Leopold Mozart Violin Competition in Augsburg and second prize at the 2018 Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig.
German–Austrian violist Emma Wernig won the Barbirolli Prize at the 2019 Tertis International Viola Competition and first prize at the Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition in 2017.
Of the outgoing members, Alex Redington had been first violinist with the Doric Quartet since it was founded in 1998, when he was just 15 years old. French-born violist Hélène Clement, who plays an 1843 Guissani instrument formerly owned by Benjamin Britten, joined the quartet in 2013.
The quartet came to prominence in 2008 after winning first prize at the 2008 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and second prize at the ‘Premio Paolo Borciani’ International String Quartet Competition. The ensemble is Teaching Quartet in Association with the Royal Academy of Music and artistic director of the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival. The group has an extensive discography with Chandos Records.
Read: Violist to depart Casals Quartet after 22 years
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Read: Van Kuijk Quartet member joins Lyon Conservatoire faculty
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