About

This is a group that is made up of former conservatory students, artists, and arts professionals. We specialize in the Mendelssohn octet, but also play other popular repertoire such as the Bach Double. We break down into smaller groups to play trios and duets.

Below is a bit of info about each of the players:

Violin 1
Growing up in Taiwan, Wen Chang-Lit began playing the violin since the age of 6. She received her BM in Violin Performance from Mannes the New School of Music and MA in Music Therapy from New York University. Wen is currently working as a music therapist at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Mt. Sinai Beth Israel and at the Brooklyn Conservatory.

Violin 2
Adam Grannick is a freelance musician and full-time filmmaker. He is the producer of Filmelodic, a series of short films inspired by pieces of classical and baroque music. He studied violin in Illinois with Albert Igolnikov and Julian Arron.

Violin 3
Elana Estrin received her Bachelor of Arts in Plan II Honors and Music (concentration: violin performance) from The University of Texas at Austin, studying with Brian Lewis and participating in the Intensive Mendelssohn Quartet Seminar with the Miró Quartet. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, she also studied with Angie Smart of the St. Louis Symphony. Currently, she performs in the Greenwich Village Orchestra and is a member of the Romemu community band. Elana is Publications and Content Editor of the New York Philharmonic.

Violin 4
Born in New York, Elan has been playing the violin since he could hold one, and he's also picked up a variety of string instruments (guitar, sitar, mandolin, ukulele) along the way. He has performed with numerous orchestras, chamber ensembles and performance groups throughout the United States and Israel. Elan studied at the University of Pennsylvania, where he researched theories of creativity across different times, cultures, and disciplines (including music), and received a master's in integrated product design. He now spends his days as a product designer at Quartz, where he helps to develop the news organization's digital presence.

Viola 1
David plays viola.

Viola 2
James Eng, viola, is mainly a violinist. Currently moonlighting as General Manager of The Knights, he has successfully impersonated administrative staff at the NY Phil, and Orpheus before that. Other affiliations include, but not limited to: Astoria Symphony, Broadway Bach Ensemble, Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra, and The String Orchestra of Brooklyn. Chamber music is fun.

Cello 1
Born into the glacier frost of Buffalo, NY, Cassey began playing the cello for much needed warmth. That warmth then grew into a passion for music. She received her BM from the Hartt School of Music and her BSE in Acoustical Engineering from the University of Hartford. Cassey is currently working as an Acoustical consultant co-creating quality acoustical environments with architects and engineering throughout the city.

Cello 2
Originally from Korea, Jihyun Kim studied cello at the Yehudi Menuhin School in England and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Timothy Eddy. After her study at The Juilliard School, Jihyun worked at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra as the Director of Artistic Planning and Production. Currently, she is the General Manager for Camerata Notturna (community orchestra) and works at an investment firm in NYC.

Music

Mendelssohn - String Octet in E-flat Major
Bach - Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor
Vivaldi - Concerto for 2 Violins and 1 Cello

Videos

Past groupmuses (3)