Musical Memories: The Formosa Quartet

Winners of the First Prize and Amadeus Prize at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, the Formosa Quartet uses the string quartet as a vehicle for advocacy, storytelling, and innovation. Their critically acclaimed performances at venues including the Library of Congress, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, the National Concert Hall in Taipei, and the Kammermusiksaal at the Berliner Philharmonie have forged uncharted musical terrain that are “spellbinding” (The Strad), “remarkably fine” (Gramophone), and “go beyond the beautiful and into the territory of unexpectedly thrilling… like shots of pure espresso” (MUSO Magazine).

 

Jasmine Lin is an internationally acclaimed violinist, chamber musician, and educator whose career has taken her to leading concert halls and festivals around the world. A prizewinner in the International Paganini and Naumburg Competitions, she has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras across Asia, North and South America, and has earned praise from The New York Times for her “electrifying assertiveness” and “virtuosic abandon.” A founding member of the award-winning Formosa Quartet, winner of the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, Lin is also an accomplished arranger, poet, and collaborator. She serves on the faculty of Roosevelt University and the Music Institute of Chicago and is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music.

 

David Bernat is a violinist, educator, and artistic director recognized for his deeply personal approach to music and commitment to community engagement. A prizewinner in the World Bach Competition, he has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, with appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Tanglewood, Marlboro Music Festival, and on BBC Radio 3. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Bernat has collaborated with leading composers and is the founder and Artistic Director of the Grace Note Farm Music Festival. He is currently a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at The Juilliard School and an Ensemble Connect Fellow through Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute.

 

Matthew Cohen is an award-winning Ukrainian-American violist recognized for his dynamic performances and advocacy for expanding the viola repertoire. A prizewinner at the Primrose International Viola Competition and several other international competitions, he has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician at leading venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and festivals throughout North America and Europe. An avid collaborator and educator, Cohen has performed with renowned artists and ensembles worldwide and serves as co-founder and Artistic Director of Opus 71 Concerts, a multidisciplinary concert series near New York’s Lincoln Center. He is a graduate of the Colburn Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, and The Juilliard School.

 

Deborah Pae is an internationally acclaimed Korean-American cellist, chamber musician, and educator celebrated for her powerful performances and commitment to artistic advocacy. Praised for her “extraordinary musicianship” and “magical” playing, she has performed at leading venues and festivals worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie, Marlboro, Ravinia, and Prussia Cove. A member of the award-winning Formosa Quartet and the Namirovsky-Lark-Pae Trio, whose debut recording received the 2020 German Record Critics Award, Pae is also a passionate champion of contemporary music and the works of living composers. She serves as Professor of Cello at Eastern Michigan University, is active in arts advocacy through the Recording Academy and MusiCares, and is widely recognized for her dedication to mentoring the next generation of musicians.