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Our 2008--2009
Past Seasons: |
The Alexander String Quartet
Violinist Zakarias Grafilo joined the Alexander String Quartet in July 2002. Prior to that, he served as Principal Second Violinist of the Pacific Symphony, and Concertmaster of the Stockton Symphony. Mr. Grafilo was co-founder of the Chamberlain String Quartet, which was Assistant Quartet-in-Residence to the Alexander String Quartet at San Francisco State University. He received his early musical training at the Preparatory Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and was later admitted into the Marin Music Conservatory, where he studied with Serban Rusu. He received his early orchestral training with the world-renowned San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra where he was Concertmaster in 1992. Mr. Grafilo continued his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying with Alexander Treger, Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University. Violinist Frederick Lifsitz studied violin in his native Boston with Marylou Churchill and at Indiana University with Paul Biss. He has been an Artist in Residence at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies in Wye, Maryland and has held similar positions at St. Lawrence University, Baruch College, and North Carolina School of the Arts. Prior to joining the Alexander Quartet Mr. Lifsitz performed over several seasons with the Boston Symphony and taught Chamber Music and Violin at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Mr. Lifsitz continues to perform as soloist and in recital. Violist Paul Yarbrough is a native of Clearwater, Florida, and a founding member of the Alexander String Quartet. Mr. Yarbrough's teachers have included Elaine Lee Richey, Lillian Fuchs, Raymond Page, and Sally Peck. He was principal violist of the Chamber Orchestra of New England. Mr. Yarbrough serves on the board of the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music. A native of Northumberland, England, cellist Sandy Wilson completed his graduate studies at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen as a recipient of two Danish Government Scholarships and the Sophus Berendsen Award. While performing as a member of the Royal Chapel Orchestra, he studied composition with Niels Vigo Bentzon and cello with Ehrling Blondahl-Bengtsson. Mr. Wilson was principal cellist at the age of 21 in the Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft Orchestra in Lucerne, Switzerland, at which time he also performed extensively in duo recital with Swiss pianist, Hedy Salquin. In 1979 Mr. Wilson moved to the United States, completing a degree at Yale University as a student of Aldo Parisot, Otto Werner Mueller and the Tokyo Quartet. He co-founded the Alexander String Quartet in 1981 and has since lived in this country, devoting most of his energies to the development of the Quartet. Mr. Wilson has written and frequently participates on panel debates on the subject of chamber music residency development and presentation. He currently serves as an elected board member of Chamber Music America and is a member of the California Cello Club. |
The Alexander String Quartet was formed in New York City in 1981 and the
following year became the first string quartet to win the Concert Artists
Guild Competition. In 1985, the Quartet captured international attention
as the first and only American Quartet to win the London International String
Quartet Competition, receiving both the jury's highest award and the Audience
Prize. In May of 1995, Allegheny College awarded Honorary Doctor of Fine
Arts degrees to the members of the Quartet in recognition of their unique
contribution to the arts. Honorary degrees were conferred on the ensemble
by St. Lawrence University in May 2000. At home in San Francisco, the members
of the Alexander String Quartet serve as Ensemble in Residence of San Francisco
Performances and as directors of the Morrison Chamber Music Center at the School
of Music and Dance in the College of Creative Arts at San Francisco State University.