Cleveland Quartet
| Company type | String quartet |
|---|---|
| Industry | Classical music performance |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Donald Weilerstein |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio , United States |
Area served | International |
Key people | Donald Weilerstein, Peter Salaff, Martha Strongin Katz, Paul Katz, Atar Arad, James Dunham, William Preucil |
| Products | Classical music recordings |
The Cleveland Quartet was a prominent string quartet established in 1969 by violinist Donald Weilerstein, who was then teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Funding for the ensemble’s inaugural residency, under Weilerstein’s leadership, was arranged by the institute's director, Victor Babin. The quartet came together that summer at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, featuring violinist Peter Salaff, violist Martha Strongin Katz, and cellist Paul Katz. Originally called the "New Cleveland Quartet," the group parted ways with the Cleveland Institute in 1971 due to disagreements over teaching responsibilities. They subsequently moved their residency to the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York and removed "New" from their name. By 1976, their residency shifted to the Eastman School of Music located in Rochester, New York.
Throughout its existence, the ensemble experienced three changes in membership: violist Atar Arad succeeded Strongin Katz in 1980; James Dunham replaced Arad in 1987; and in 1989, William Preucil assumed the first violin position from Weilerstein. The quartet concluded its activities in 1995. Following his tenure with the group, Preucil served as concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra until his termination in 2018 due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Members Paul Katz, Martha Strongin Katz, and Donald Weilerstein became faculty members at the New England Conservatory of Music; Weilerstein also performs alongside his wife Vivian Hornik Weilerstein and daughter, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, as part of a trio. Peter Salaff maintained a teaching role at the Cleveland Institute of Music until 2018; Atar Arad is currently on faculty at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University; and James Dunham teaches at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. The Cleveland Quartet produced an extensive discography with labels such as RCA Red Seal and Cleveland-based Telarc, culminating in a comprehensive 23-CD RCA collection released in 2023.
External links
- Official site (Adobe Flash)
- The Cleveland String Quartet records, 1965-2001 Music Division, The New York Public Library.