The Telegraph Quartet—violinists Eric Chin and Joseph Maile, violist Pei-Ling Lin, and cellist Jeremiah Shaw—was founded in 2013 with a commitment to both classic and contemporary chamber music. Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for its brilliance and subtlety, the ensemble won the 2016 Walter W. Naumburg Chamber Music Award and the 2014 Fischoff Competition Grand Prize.

The Quartet has since performed widely across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, appearing at Carnegie Hall, Herbst Recital Hall, the San Francisco Conservatory Chamber Masters Series, and festivals including Chautauqua, Kneisel Hall, and Emilia Romagna. In 2016, they were selected to appear at the Biennale de quatuors à cordes at the Philharmonie de Paris, a showcase for leading emerging quartets.

Del Sol Quartet was born from violist Charlton Lee’s desire to blend scientific curiosity with the connective power of music. Founded in New Mexico and now based in San Francisco, the ensemble embraces a spirit of innovation rooted in the West Coast’s tradition of adventurous, socially engaged artistry.

Known for expanding the string quartet repertoire beyond European traditions, Del Sol has championed voices from Asia and around the world. They have commissioned and premiered works by composers such as Ben Johnston, Gabriela Lena Frank, Frederic Rzewski, Chinary Ung, and Terry Riley.

While committed to their Bay Area community, the quartet performs widely across the U.S. and internationally, with recent appearances ranging from the Boonville Grange Hall to the Library of Congress, as well as tours in Switzerland and China.

Calvin Wiersma is Associate Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Ithaca College and has previously taught at the Purchase and Lawrence Conservatories, Florida State University, Brandeis, and the Longy School. A founding member of the award-winning Meliora Quartet, he also spent 20 years with the Manhattan String Quartet and helped form the Figaro Trio. He performs frequently with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, Wiersma is a member of Cygnus and the Lochrian Chamber Ensemble and has appeared with ensembles such as Speculum Musicae, Ensemble 21, Parnassus, Ensemble Sospeso, and the New York New Music Ensemble. He has commissioned numerous works, toured extensively with Steve Reich, and given featured solo performances for the International League of Composers.

Jeffrey LaDeur is a pianist praised for his expressive, nuanced playing and communicative stage presence. He has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Shanghai Conservatory, and major festivals in the U.S. and Europe. A specialist in French repertoire, he made his Carnegie Hall solo debut performing Debussy’s complete Études and released the acclaimed album The Unbroken Line, featuring works by Rameau and Debussy.

LaDeur is the founder and artistic director of the San Francisco International Piano Festival and also founded the New Piano Collective. An experienced chamber musician, he performed internationally for a decade with the Delphi Trio and has collaborated with artists including Robert Mann, Bonnie Hampton, Ian Swensen, and Anne Akiko Meyers. He regularly gives masterclasses and coaches young musicians, holding degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory.

Daniela Mineva is a dynamic pianist celebrated for her expressive artistry and commitment to contemporary music. A prizewinner in numerous international competitions—including the Jean Françaix Piano Competition and the Steinway International Competition—she has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Her collaboration with composer Vera Ivanova earned the Prix André Chevillion–Yvonne Bonnaud at the Orléans International Competition for the piece Aftertouch, written for her.

A strong advocate for new music, Mineva has worked with leading composers and ensembles such as Speculum Musicae, Earplay, and OSSIA. She has given masterclasses worldwide and previously served as president of the International Society for Pianists and Composers. Currently Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, she is also Co-Director of the North Coast Piano Festival. Her recent seasons include international recital tours featuring works by Debussy and Messiaen.

David Balakrishnan is a composer, violinist, and founder of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet. A UCLA graduate and acclaimed improviser, he has performed with artists such as Stephane Grappelli, the David Grisman Quartet, Paquito D’Rivera, Stefon Harris, Leo Kottke, and the Ying Quartet. Under his leadership, Turtle Island has earned two Grammys, and David has received six nominations, including a 2015 nod for his composition Confetti Man. He is also a recipient of Chamber Music America’s Classical Commissioning Program grant for a major work celebrating the quartet’s 30th anniversary.

Mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich is acclaimed for her vibrant artistry and expressive depth, having performed more than 200 art songs in 12 languages and appearing in recital series such as the American Composers Forum, La Jolla Athenaeum, and Rio de Janeiro’s Sala Cecília Meireles. She sang the U.S. premiere of songs by Anno Schreier in collaboration with Deutsche Oper Berlin and has worked widely with Brazilian pianist Ricardo Ballestero on the music of Alberto Nepomuceno.

A devoted chamber musician, Scharich has collaborated extensively with the Alexander String Quartet and recently recorded To My Distant Beloved, featuring works by Beethoven and Schumann, with pianist Jeffrey LaDeur. Her album In meinem Himmel, presenting new Mahler transcriptions, was released on the Foghorn label. She has performed more than 30 operatic roles and teaches regularly, offering masterclasses at institutions including San Francisco State University, Point Loma University, and the University of São Paulo.

Cellist Maggie Parkins is a versatile performer active in chamber music, contemporary music, and orchestral settings, appearing throughout the Americas and Europe. She is a member of the Eclipse Quartet, the Mojave Piano Trio, Brightwork newmusic, and The Smudges. Her wide-ranging collaborations include work with the Jazz Passengers, Anthony Braxton’s Tri-Centric Ensemble, Caetano Veloso, Björk, Alex Cline, and Zeena Parkins’ Phantom Orchard Orchestra.

Parkins has recorded extensively for labels such as Tzadik, New World, Bridge, and Victo, and has performed at major festivals and venues including Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Banff Centre, Spoleto (U.S. and Italy), Tanglewood, and the Heidelberg Castle Festival. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and SUNY Stony Brook, taught for 19 years at UC Irvine, and currently teaches cello at Pomona College.