The Eastman School of Music’s string quartet-in-residence, the Ying Quartet, won the Grammy Award for the Best Classical Crossover Album at the 48th annual award ceremony in the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 8. The Ying Quartet collaborated with the Turtle Island String Quartet to create the award-winning album, “4 + Four.” The album was also nominated in the category of Classical Producer of the Year Grammy, for producer Thomas C. Moore.
“Our collaboration and friendship with the Turtle Island String Quartet has brought us personal pleasure and musical satisfaction,” Ying Quartet Cellist David Ying said in a press release. “To now have ‘4 + Four’ recognized this way feels like the icing on an already tasty cake.”
The Ying siblings – assistant Professor of violoncello David Ying, assistant Professor of violin Janet Ying, assistant Professor of viola Phillip Ying and assistant Professor of violen Timothy Ying – are natives of Chicago, IL and began their career as an ensemble in 1992. The quartet prides themselves in continuing to develop ways of making artistic and creative expression an essential part of everyday life.
They have performed across the United States at venues including Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, the White House, hospitals and juvenile prisons. They have also performed in countries worldwide.
Recently, the Ying Quartet performed at Eastman as a part of the Eastman-Ranlet Series.
This was their first Grammy award. Students on both the Eastman and River Campuses have expressed their pride about this recognition.
“I am shocked, proud and amused,” freshman Lindzay Kryzak said. “It definitely makes me want to get over to Eastman and maybe take lessons there.”
River Campus students agree that the Eastman Campus has a lot to be explored.
“I think the bond between the River Campus and the Eastman School should definitely be improved,” freshman Deby Philbrick said. “Eastman has so much to offer and it being recognized on a national level makes me want to find out more about everything that goes on there.”
Over a dozen other Eastman faculty, students and alumni performed on albums that were nominated for Grammy awards.
“It is events and awards like this that really demonstrate that Eastman is such a cool thing that we have here,” freshman Katie Wagner said.
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