Isidore String Quartet + Sterling Elliott, cello
Thursday, September 24, 2026
7:30 PM
Brendle Recital Hall, Scales Fine Arts Center
Adrian Steele and Phoenix Avalon, violins
Devin Moore, viola
Joshua McClendon, cello
“A polished sonority and well-balanced, tightly synchronized ensemble with nearly faultless intonation….it is heartening to know that chamber music is in good hands with such gifted young ensembles as the Isidore Quartet”
—Chicago Classical Review
The Isidore String Quartet has quickly emerged as a leading ensemble in chamber music. They recently won a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition. The group formed in 2019 at The Juilliard School. They draw inspiration from the Juilliard String Quartet’s famous philosophy: they treat established masterpieces as brand new and approach new works as if they were already classics.
The 2025/26 season features an extensive tour across North America and Europe. The quartet makes major debuts at the Paris Philharmonie and Wigmore Hall in London. They also collaborate with clarinetist Anthony McGill and the Miró Quartet. In February 2026, they will premiere a new work written for them by composer Billy Childs.
The Isidore Quartet remains deeply committed to community engagement outside the concert hall. They work directly with youth, the elderly, and marginalized populations. Their name honors Isidore Cohen of the Juilliard Quartet. It also offers a playful nod to the legendary monk who supposedly created the first vodka recipe!
Sterling Elliott brings stellar stage presence and joyous musicianship to every performance. He won a 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Senior Division of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition. Sterling has already performed as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony. He has also appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
His 2024/25 season included significant debuts with the Atlanta, Reno, Columbus, and Ann Arbor Symphonies. As a BBC New Generation Artist, he toured New Zealand and performed at Wigmore Hall, the Elbphilharmonie, and the Concertgebouw. Other highlights included the Beethoven Triple Concerto with Gil and Orli Shaham and a return to Carnegie Hall.
Sterling grew up in a musical household. He originally wanted to play the violin like his older siblings. However, his parents encouraged him to play the cello to complete The Elliott Family String Quartet. This ensemble performed diverse arrangements of bluegrass, gospel, and funk. This early versatility still informs his artistry today.
Sterling is currently earning an Artist Diploma at The Juilliard School under Joel Krosnick and Clara Kim. He performs on a 1741 Gennaro Gagliano cello. The Robert F. Smith Fine String Patron Program provides the instrument on loan in partnership with the Sphinx Organization.
Mozart: String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575
Bridge: 3 Idylls, H. 67 (1906)
Schubert: Quintet in C-Major, D 956
Program subject to change at artist’s discretion
Adult $25
Senior $20
Student (non-WFU) $15
Child $10
WFU and Medical School Students, Faculty, Staff and Retirees – Free Pre-registration encouraged
Ticket prices include all applicable taxes and fees.
Please check back to see if a pre-concert talk will be offered.