EDUCATION

Masterclasses & Coachings

Passionate about sharing the joy of chamber music with the next generation, the Aizuri Quartet has given masterclasses and coachings at institutions such as San Francisco Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Longy School of Music of Bard College, Hartt School-University of Hartford, Northwestern University, Cornell University, Florida State University, University of North Texas, Ohio State University, Amherst College, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Shenandoah University, University of Nevada-Reno, Central Michigan University, Virginia Tech University, University of Houston, Williams College, Vassar College, University of Memphis, New Orleans Chamberfest, Duke University, Hochschule für Künste Bremen (Germany), Ventspils Music School (Latvia), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico), .

The quartet has also given masterclasses at the Meadowmount School of Music, Crowden School and Chamber Music Workshop, Temple University Music Preparatory Division, Hartt School Community Division, Third Street Music School, Chamber Music Institute of North Carolina, Chamber Music Connection in Columbus, Riverdale Country School, P440 in Philadelphia, Bellingham Youth Orchestra and Chamber Players, Summit High School, Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra, École Municipale de Musique et de Danse Stains (France), Orquesta Juvenil Universitaria Eduardo Mata, Centro Nacional de la Música (Costa Rica), Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional Juvenil (Chile).

Composition Workshops

Residencies

The Aizuris devote a large part of their time working with young composers, offering a performer’s perspective in the creation and refinement of new works. Workshops have included readings, performances of newer works that the quartet is currently carrying, and discussions on topics such as extended techniques, notation, and what is possible for our instruments. Workshops and performances include world premieres by composers of University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, Florida State University, Penn State University, Williams College, Princeton University (Princeton Sound Kitchen), University of Michigan, NEXT Festival of Emerging Artists, Bucknell College, NYU Abu Dhabi, University of Hawaii-Manoa, North Carolina State University, Ramapo College, West Chester University, John Adams Young Composers Program at the Crowden School of Music

• Friends of Music Kansas City Residency

  • Mainstage Recital at 1900 Building

  • Presentations and workshops at Shawnee Mission West High School, Shawnee Mission North High School, Blue Valley South West High School, Beninghoven Elementary School

  • Live performance broadcast at KPR Radio

  • Bishop Spencer Place Community Concert

  • Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch Family Concert

  • House Concert

• Florida State University Residency

  • Recital, Opperman Music Hall

  • 3 days of chamber music coachings

  • Entrepreneurship lecture

  • Strings Seminar: chamber music master class

  • Composers Forum presentation

• Chamber Music Connection Residency in Columbus, OH

  • Coachings and side-by-side rehearsals with CMC students

  • Masterclass for CMC students

  • Masterclass at Ohio State University

  • Conservatory Series side-by-side performance with CMC students, Southern Theater

  • Aizuri Quartet Recital, Southern Theater

• University of Michigan: School of Music, Theatre, and Dance 

  As part of the M-Prize, in October 2018 we returned to the University of Michigan for a week-long residency in addition to our University Musical Society performance. Events included:

  • Coachings with nine student chamber ensembles

  • A visit to the EXCEL Lab (Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Career Empowerment & Leadership) for a presentation and conversation with students and an EXCELcast video recording on entrepreneurship and career-building in chamber music

  • Student composition readings

  • String forum and string quartet master class

• Cornell University

  Short-term residency in March 2017 featuring the world premiere of Stephen Dankner’s String Quartet No. 19. We returned to Cornell in March 2019 for a performance at Telluride House to celebrate our album, Blueprinting.

  • Chamber Music Masterclass

  • Open rehearsal at Bethe House

  • Recital at the Carriage House Cafe Hayloft and world premiere of Steven Dankner’s String Quartet No. 19

• Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

  A week-long, self-curated residency in February 2017 

  • Chamber Music Masterclass at Duke University

  • Educational Concert and workshop for Kidznotes Durham (an after-school program modeled after El Sistema)

  • Educational Concert at Sherwood Githens Middle School

  • Performance and chamber music Master Class at the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute

  • Educational Concert and orchestra sectional coaching at Green Hope and Enloe High Schools

  • Concert at the famed rock venue Cat's Cradle, presented by Jennifer Curtis's Overtones series.

  Final Recital presented by North Carolina State University's ArtsNOW series, featuring the world premiere performances of string quartets by faculty composers Peter Askim and Rodney Waschka

• Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

  As the 2015-2016 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence at Caramoor, we worked with local music students in a dozen middle and high schools throughout Westchester and Putnam Counties in New York. Through educational concerts, coachings, and playing side-by-side with the student orchestras, we explored diverse topics ranging from the roots and evolution of the string quartet genre to overcoming stage fright and embarking on careers in music. The residency periods were ten days each in November 2015 and April 2016.

• IRIS Orchestra and the Rudy E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis

  In partnership with Michael Stern's IRIS Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee, and the University of Memphis, our short-term residency in March 2017 featured a joint performance of Mendelssohn's Octet with IRIS Orchestra's Artist Fellows C3Strings and a University of Memphis student.

  • Chamber Music Master Class at the University of Memphis

  • Educational Concert for K-8 students at the Hutchison School

  • Ensemble coaching and private instrumental lessons

  • Private performance for donors of IRIS Orchestra

  • Recital at Harris Concert Hall, University of Memphis

• Chamber Music Abu Dhabi

  A ten-day residency in April-May 2016

  • Reading workshop with student composers at NYU Abu Dhabi

  • Recital at NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center

  • Physics and Music Lecture at Khalifa University

  • Classical Traditions, Arabic Poetry and the String Quartet: workshop and performance with Talal al Salim and students at Khalifa University

  • Educational Concert at the American Community School

  • Recital at the American Community School

  • Masterclass for local music students at Manarat Al Saadiyat

  • Recital at Manarat Al Saadiyat

• Curtis Institute of Music
  From 2014-2016, we were the String-Quartet-in-Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Our performances through Curtis on Tour in 2015 and 2016 took us to Latin America, South America, and Europe, where we worked with students of varying ages in the following programs

  • Concert and Orchestra Workshop, École Municipale de Musique et de Danse in Stains, France

  • Masterclass with members of Orquesta Juvenil Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City, Mexico

  • Educational Concert and Master Classes, Centro Nacional de la Música in San Jose, Costa Rica

  • Chamber Music Master Class and Orchestra Workshop, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional Juvenil in Santiago, Chile

  • Educational Concert, Teatro CorpArtes in Santiago, Chile

  • Educational Concert, Teatro del Lago in Frutillar, Chile

  • Masterclass, Hochschule für Künste Bremen in Bremen, Germany

• Honolulu, Hawaii
  A week-long residency in February 2016

  • Full recital at Orvis Auditorium, University of Hawaii-Manoa

  • Reading workshop with student composers at the University of Hawaii-Manoa

  • Coachings with middle and high school students at Kamehameha School

  • Educational Concert for Hawaii Youth Symphony

  • Radio interviews at Hawaii Public Radio and KZOO (in Japanese)