Mimir Chamber Music Festival 2020 announces Emerging Artists

FORT WORTH, Texas – As Mimir Chamber Music Festival takes its performances online because of the Coronavirus, we are excited to continue the tradition of providing a rich educational experience for up-and-coming musicians. Three pre-formed chamber ensembles, early in their professional chamber music careers -- Erinys Quartet, Iris Trio and Sileo Quartet -- are this year's Emerging Artists, chosen through highly competitive international auditions. After receiving online coaching leading up to the festival they will showcase their talent to a global audience on July 10 at 7:30 p.m. CST. Please check the Mimir website for the performance link.

This year’s Emerging Artists:

The Erinys Quartet was formed in 2018 in Helsinki, Finland, and is comprised of violinists Elizabeth Stewart and Marija Räisänen, violist Aida Hadzajlic, and cellist Stergios Theodoridis, all of whom are currently pursuing diplomas at the Sibelius Academy.
 Under the guidance of Finnish cellist Marko Ylönen, Erinys has performed works of Beethoven, Brahms, Shostakovich, and Schubert and frequently presents concerts around Helsinki. The quartet has also worked with Paavo Pohjola and Martti Rautio. In addition to chamber music, all four members are also part of the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra and play with professional orchestras in the Helsinki area.

The Iris Trio was formed in December 2018 at the University of Houston and features violinist Miranda Hollingsworth, cellist Mitchell Wright, and pianist David Pham. The trio has won second prize at the Enkor Competition and were semi-finalists in the 2020 Coltman Chamber Music Competition. They have had the opportunity to play in masterclasses for the Faure Quartet, the Modigliani String Quartet, the Formosa Quartet, and the Aizuri Quartet. All members of the trio share a love for new music and in 2019 the Iris Trio was invited to perform “Unmasking Presence” by composer Kyle Rivera at the Lone Star New Music Festival. The group’s mentors have primarily been Timothy Hester, Vagram Saradjian, and Kirsten Yon.

Sileo Quartet is based in Bloomington, Indiana, and is an emerging group of classically trained musicians includingviolinists Agatha Blevin and Dawning Welliver, violist Mason Spencer, and cellist Adrian Golay. The group is pursuing a Performer Diploma in Chamber Music at Indiana University, studying with members of the Pacifica Quartet. Previous coaches have included Sibbi Bernhardsson, Grigory Kalinovsky and Stephen Wyrczynski. The quartet has also played in masterclasses at the Jacobs School of Music, for members of the London Haydn Quartet, and for violinist Guillaume Sutre. As a part of Music in the Vineyards, at the inaugural Patreon Assembly in Los Angeles, they performed at venues across the Napa Valley. At Indiana University, they presented a program of underperformed Polish music in a concert sponsored by the Chopin Institute. Exemplified in these varied performances is their goal to preserve musical traditions and transform them, and by championing lesser-performed works in concert settings.


About Mimir Chamber Music Festival

Since its launch in 1998, Mimir Chamber Music Festival has enjoyed a growing audience of fans from throughout the Southwest and has become one of the most celebrated annual music events in the region. Mimir has presented over 100 exceptional concerts by its renowned Mimir Artists and has mentored some 250 talented young Emerging Artists. The Festival features outstanding musicians from the world’s leading orchestras, music schools and concert halls. This season, due to the Coronavirus shutdown, Mimir has moved from the concert hall to online performances, allowing us to reach a global audience. Mimir is excited to have this unique and rare opportunity, offering a one-of-a-kind performance experience that can bring us all closer together, while supporting our outstanding artists.

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Mimir Chamber Music Festival 2020 Announces Emerging Artists
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