The Ying Quartet’s reputation for “instinctive unanimity” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and “astonishing, refreshing exaltation and exhilaration” (Los Angeles Times) is matched by its unparalleled success in making creative connections between chamber music and other art forms in ways that have great public appeal. Its long list of imaginative projects includes “No Boundaries,” an innovative visiting residency at Symphony Space in New York City; an exploration with the Turtle Island Quartet of jazz, improvisation, and the classical string tradition; a program with folk musician Mike Seeger showing the influence of traditional folk music on contemporary American classical composition; and Hyperscore, a revolutionary online graphic compositional application that allows amateurs as well as musicians to compose using a personal computer.

The Ying siblings began their career as an ensemble in 1992 in the farm town of Jesup, Iowa, (population 2000) as one of the first ensembles involved in the Chamber Music America (then NEA) Rural Residency Program. The Quartet participated fully in the community, performing on countless occasions for audiences of six to 600 in a residency so successful that it was widely chronicled in the national and international media, including features in The New York Times and STRAD magazine and on CBS Sunday Morning.

The Ying Quartet won recognition for its exceptional musical qualities when it was honored with the 1993 Naumburg Chamber Music Award. In the years since, the Yings have established an international reputation for excellence in performance with appearances in virtually every major American city. The Quartet’s 2005-2006 season included five concerts in New York City, four at Harvard University, and concerts in Washington, D.C. (at the Kennedy Center), Portland, Oregon, Saint Louis, Amsterdam, and Austin. Its numerous festival appearances include Tanglewood, Aspen, Skaneateles, and San Miguel; international touring has taken the Quartet to Europe, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, and Taiwan. The Yings’ enthusiasm for performing in diverse settings has led to concerts in Carnegie Hall, the White House, hospitals, and juvenile prisons. Frequent musical collaborations have included such artists as Menahem Pressler, Christopher Taylor, Paul Katz, Gilbert Kalish, and the St. Lawrence and Turtle Island String Quartets.

As Quartet-in-Residence at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, the Ying Quartet plans and directs a rigorous, sequential chamber music curriculum that integrates intensive musical instruction with training in creative presentation and communication skills, and includes practical performance opportunities throughout the greater Rochester community. The Quartet has also taught at Northwestern University and at the Interlochen and Brevard Music Festivals, and, since 2001, the members of the Ying Quartet have been the Blodgett Artists-in-Residence at Harvard University.