The quartet will work with the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance on the organisation’s mission of artistry, educational impact and community engagement

VeronaQuartet2024 photographer Tanya RosenJones

Verona Quartet © Tanya Rosen Jones

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The Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance (LAMP) in Nova Scotia, Canada, has announced the Verona Quartet as its new artistic directors. The ensemble, comprising Jonathan Ong, Dorothy Ro, Abigail Rojansky, and Jonathan Dormand, is celebrated for its artistry and engaging performances, and will now guide LAMP into a new chapter.

As artistic directors, the Verona Quartet aims to build upon LAMP’s decade-long mission of artistic excellence, educational impact, and community engagement. Its vision includes broadening the organisation’s influence within the Canadian arts scene and establishing LAMP as a leading cultural hub. The next phase of LAMP’s evolution will introduce a diverse range of programming that highlights young artists and positions the Maritime region as a prominent arts destination.

Newly appointed education director for LAMP, Anna Han, will work closely with the Verona Quartet, overseeing special community engagement projects and collaborate with the quartet to enhance educational and performance opportunities for LAMP Fellows and Academy students. 

Under the Verona Quartet’s leadership, LAMP will continue to offer a wide variety of performances at the Recital Hall, including Western Classical, Jazz, and World Music. The Quartet will also lead Phase 2.0 of LAMP’s development, featuring performances at community venues such as house concerts and pop-up events in Lunenburg and nearby Halifax, with plans to tour beyond Nova Scotia.

The Verona Quartet’s members serve as the quartet-in-residence at Oberlin College and Conservatory. The quartet’s career includes appearances at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and Wigmore Hall, as well as participation in festivals worldwide. Recent highlights include a return to the Encore Chamber Music Institute and its debut at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival during the summer of 2024.

The ensemble has garnered top prize wins at Wigmore Hall, Melbourne, M-Prize and Osaka International Chamber Music Competitions, as well as the 2015 Concert Artists Guild Competition and the 2020 Cleveland Quartet Award.

The quartet succeeds Burt Wathen, who retired this year after a decade of dedication to LAMP. 

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