Its members, world class performers Lun Jiang and Quan Jiang, violins; Ariel Rudiakov, viola; and Ann Kim; violincello, have studied at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and Yale University; with some of the most prominent names in chamber music, including members of the Juilliard String Quartet, the Tokyo String Quartet, and cellist Nathaniel Rosen.

The Equinox String Quartet performs a wide range of repertoire from classical standards to contemporary pieces, specializing in the identification of new and unusual works by great composers. Their debut recording, released on the Eroica label in December, 1997, features two String Quartets by Camille St. Saint-Saëns, Op. 112 and Op. 153. This exclusive release, the only recording of these two great works on the same CD, promises to become a collector's item.

The players

Lun & Quan Jiang - violins

The Jiang twins were born in Shanghai, China, and studied at the Manhattan School of Music with Professor Stanley Sednar, where they have just given their Master's graduation recitals. Lun and Quan have won first prizes in several competitions, and have been heard in live performances on WQXR in New York City and the TV program "Curtain Raiser." They toured South Korea in March, 1996, and now plan to devote their professional lives to the string quartet repertoire. The fact that they are twins may account for at least 50-percent of the Equinox String Quartet's deserved reputation for "playing as one!"
 

Ann Kim - cello

Ms Kim began her cello studies in New York City at the age of 6, at which time she was accepted into the pre-college division of the Juilliard School as a scholarship student, an astonishing and legendary achievement! Soon afterwards, she was chosen to be a member of the chamber group which recorded for and appeared on the Nickelodeon gifted children's show "Pinwheel" on national television. Since then Ann's musical career has burgeoned, encompassing many recitals and chamber music performances in venues in Korea, Canada and the United States. She has appeared as guest artist with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Trenton Symphony Orchestra, and the Concerto Soloists Orchestra of Philadelphia. She has performed twice with the Philadelphia Orchestra as a winner of two of their Young Artists Competitions. Ann has performed solo recitals at Alice Tully Hall in New York City, the Academy of Arts in Philadelphia, and the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey. As a chamber musician, she has studied with Felix Galimir, Alexander Schneider, and members of the Juilliard String Quartet. Ms Kim holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from Princeton University, and has just completed the Masters program at the Juilliard School where she studied with Harvey Shapiro.
 

Ariel Rudiakov - viola

Mr. Rudiakov received his Bachelor's degree from SUNY at Purchase, NY and a Master of Music degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He studied privately with Karen Ritscher, Jesse Levine and Guillermo Perich, and chamber music with members of the Tokyo String Quartet while at Yale University. Mr. Rudiakov is the Assistant Director of the Manchester Music Festival and active as a solo, chamber and orchestral musician. He is a member of the Manchester Chamber Players and the Equinox String Quartet, groups which he co-founded. Ariel is also active as a conductor and has recently been appointed Music Director of the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra. He was invited to guest conduct the Bergen Philharmonic in New Jersey and is the conductor of the Manchester Festival Orchestra.

Contact details and further information

E-mail Equinox / Eroica

For further details, see Eroica website