Rosamunde String Quartet Joins Curtis Artist Management Roster

Press Contacts:
Patricia K. Johnson | patricia.johnson@curtis.edu | (215) 717-3190
Ryan Scott Lathan | ryan.lathan@curtis.edu | (215) 717-3145

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PHILADELPHIA, PA—November 12, 2024—Curtis Artist Management is excited to announce that the Rosamunde String Quartet has joined the Curtis Institute of Music’s roster for general management and worldwide representation. The critically renowned quartet is comprised of four musicians from three of the world’s greatest orchestras: Noah Bendix-Balgley, first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic; Shanshan Yao (Violin ’08), member of the Kammerakademie Potsdam and former violinist in the New York Philharmonic; Teng Li (Viola ’05), principal viola of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and Nathan Vickery (Cello ’13), cellist in the New York Philharmonic. Celebrated for its “uniformly rich sound from top to bottom” (Cleveland Classical), the quartet formed in 2015 as a passion project of its all-star members. By uniting their experiences as internationally touring soloists and orchestra musicians, they create a distinctive sound and unanimity of expression. Three members of the quartet—Shanshan Yao, Teng Li, and Nathan Vickery—are distinguished alumni of Curtis Institute of Music.

“We are thrilled to join the roster of Curtis Artist Management,” said violinist Shanshan Yao. “We look forward to working together to present exciting and meaningful concerts for our wonderful audiences, and to deepen our relationship with the Curtis Institute of Music, a place that means so much to all of us.”

Rosamunde String Quartet’s 2024–25 season includes performances at Curtis Institute of Music and University Musical Society at the University of Michigan. Recent seasons have included appearances in Asheville, N.C.; Bloomington, Ind.; Boston, Mass.; Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio; New York City’s Town Hall; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Washington, D.C.; and Toronto, Ontario. Collectively, the group has performed and collaborated with esteemed artists such as pianist and conductor Benjamin Hochman (Piano ’01) and Curtis’ Bruce Jay Gould, M.D. Chair in Cello Studies Peter Wiley (Cello ’74). Masterclasses and residencies at music schools and festivals such as Curtis, Carnegie Mellon University, and Morningside Music Bridge, are an important part of the quartet’s touring activities.

Violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley is first concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker and tours both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. His clear and heartfelt personal sound has moved listeners around the world. Mr. Bendix-Balgley’s recent highlights include his debut at Carnegie Hall as featured soloist on the Berliner Philharmoniker tour of the United States, a tour of Japan with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and concerto appearances with the Philharmonic Orchestras of Dresden, Buffalo, Auckland, and Nagoya. He has also performed with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and the Shanghai, Guangzhou, Utah, Quebec, and Royal Danish Orchestras. 2024–25 season highlights include debuts with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Lyon.

Mr. Bendix-Balgley’s album Mozart–Sinigaglia with Kirill Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic was released in June 2024 to critical acclaim. A renowned performer of klezmer music, he composed and premiered his own klezmer violin concerto, Fidl-Fantazye, in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and has performed the work more than a dozen times around the world. A passionate chamber musician, he is both a member of the Rosamunde String Quartet and the multi-genre ensemble Philharmonix. His recent festival appearances include the Seattle Music Festival, La Jolla Summerfest, and the Aixen-Provence Festival.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina, Noah graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the Munich Hochschule. He was a laureate of the 2009 Queen Elisabeth Competition and won top prizes at the Long-Thibaud Competition in France and the Postacchini Competition in Italy.

Violinist Shanshan Yao is a member of the Kammerakademie Potsdam. She was previously a violinist in the New York Philharmonic and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and has also appeared as a guest musician with the Chicago Symphony and the Berlin Philharmonic. Her highlights include performing Mozart Sinfonia Concertante at the Berlin Philharmonie with the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin, the “Butterfly Lovers Concerto” with the Asheville Symphony, touring with Rosamunde String Quartet in the United States, and with Curtis on Tour in Europe. Ms. Yao made her concerto debut at age 12 with the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. She has performed as a soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (led by music director Manfred Honeck), Hangzhou Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and the Banff Chamber Orchestra.

Ms. Yao won top prizes at the Corpus Christi International Competition, Hellam Young Artists Competition, Calgary Concerto Competition, and the Michael Hill International Violin Competition in New Zealand. A passionate chamber musician, she has participated in the Aspen, Summit, and Sarasota music festivals; Music from Angel Fire; The Banff Centre; and Music@Menlo, where she also served as a chamber music coach.

Ms. Yao received her Bachelor of Music degree from Curtis Institute of Music and her master’s degree from The Juilliard School, and her principal teachers were Aaron Rosand, Donald Weilerstein, and Ronald Copes. She currently serves on the faculty and advisory council of the Morningside Music Bridge program in Boston.

Violist Teng Li is an internationally celebrated soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist, hailed for her “burnished sound and elegant command of phrasing” (New York Times) and “a musical personality that mesmerizes the ear” (BBC Music). In September 2023, Ms. Li was appointed as principal of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Previously, she was principal viola of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 2018 to 2024 and served for 14 seasons as principal viola of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Recognized as a “dazzlingly virtuosic” soloist (Los Angeles Times), she has appeared with premier ensembles throughout the world, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, National Chamber Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Shanghai Opera Symphony Orchestra, and Esprit Orchestra.

Ms. Li has won top prizes at the Johansen International Competition, the Holland-America Music Society Competition, the Primrose International Viola Competition, the Klein International String Competition, and the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, Germany. She was also a winner of the Astral Artistic Services’ 2003 National Auditions.

A committed educator, Ms. Li has taught at the Colburn School, University of Toronto, Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and Montreal’s Conservatoire de Musique and joins the faculty of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performance Arts in the 2024–25 academic year. In addition, she teaches at the Sarasota Music Festival and Morningside Music Bridge. Ms. Li is a graduate of the Central Conservatory in Beijing, China, and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Lauded as a “formidable cello soloist” (New York Times), cellist Nathan Vickery appears regularly in solo and chamber music recitals and music festivals around the country. Mr. Vickery joined the New York Philharmonic in September 2013, performing and touring with the orchestra at home in New York and throughout the world. He performs frequently on the New York Philharmonic chamber music series Ensembles at Merkin Hall, and on the Philharmonic’s new music series.

He has appeared as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and as a recitalist and chamber musician at festivals, including the Marlboro Chamber Music Festival, Music at Angel Fire, Summer Music at Indiana University, the Perlman Music Program, and the Steans Institute at Ravinia. He has served on the faculty of the Indiana University Summer String Academy and teaches privately in New York City.

Mr. Vickery received his bachelor’s degree from Curtis Institute of Music under the tutelage of Peter Wiley. His pre-college studies were with Susan Moses at the Indiana University String Academy.

About Curtis Artist Management
Curtis Artist Management provides full-service, bespoke management and worldwide representation for a roster of world-class alumni and faculty of Curtis Institute of Music. The roster includes Michelle Cann, Dover Quartet, Avery Gagliano, Ji Su Jung, Elissa Lee Koljonen, Rosamunde String Quartet, and Trio Zimbalist. Explore the roster and contact a member of our team to learn more.

About Curtis Institute of Music
At Curtis, the world’s great young musicians develop into exceptional artists, creators, and innovators. With a tuition-free foundation, Curtis is a unique environment for teaching and learning. A small school by design, students realize their artistic potential through intensive, individualized study with the most renowned, sought-after faculty. Animated by a learn-by-doing philosophy, Curtis students share their music with audiences through more than 100 performances each year, including solo and chamber recitals, orchestral concerts, and opera—all free or at an affordable cost—offering audiences unique opportunities to participate in pivotal moments in these young musicians’ careers. Curtis students experience a close connection to the most renowned artists and organizations in classical music, as well as innovative initiatives that integrate new technologies and encourage entrepreneurship—all within a historic campus in the heart of culturally rich Philadelphia. In this diverse, collaborative community, Curtis’s extraordinary artists challenge, support, and inspire one another—continuing an unparalleled 100-year legacy of musicians who have led, and will lead, classical music into a thriving, equitable, and multidimensional future. Learn more at curtis.edu.

Photo Credits: Ensemble portraits (Robb Davidson). Noah Bendix-Balgley and Shanshan Yao (Nikolaj Lund). Teng Li (Bo Huang). Nathan Vickery (Robb Davidson).