Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival

String Quartet Masterclass with Viano Quartet
2026-03-12 14:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive Building 45, Fine Arts Center, Suite 2004, Jacksonville, FL, 32224
Don’t miss a chance to observe the acclaimed Viano Quartet in a public masterclass on March 12, 2026, from 2:30–4:30 PM in the Recital Hall at the University of North Florida Fine Arts Center (Building 45). Recognized as one of the most sought-after young ensembles performing today, the Viano Quartet are recipients of the prestigious 2025 Avery Fisher Career Grant and are rapidly earning a place among the finest chamber groups of their generation.
This event is free and open to the public for observation and is presented in collaboration with the University of North Florida. No RSVP is required.
A campus map is available at https://www.unf.edu/parking/files/certified.rf.CampusMap_ROADCLOSURE.pdf.
The address is :
University of North Florida
Fine Arts Center
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville FL 32224
A parking garage is located adjacent to the Fine Arts Center. Parking is available for a daily rate of $5. Payment can be made by scanning the QR codes posted throughout the garage and using the associated mobile parking app.

Meet the Musician: Zuill Bailey
2026-03-12 17:00 - 18:30 | Story & Song Center for Arts & Culture, 1430 Park Ave., Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
Beloved by Festival audiences, Grammy Award–winning cellist Zuill Bailey returns for an engaging evening of stories, insights, and music‑making memories. One of the world’s premiere cellists, Bailey is known for his rare blend of artistry, technical mastery, and charismatic stage presence, heard in acclaimed performances with top orchestras and in his extensive, award‑winning discography. This free event offers an on‑stage interview, audience Q&A, photo opportunities, and a cash bar.
Experience this world‑renowned artist up close before his performance the following day, March 13, 2026, at Amelia Plantation Chapel.

Viano Quartet | Zuill Bailey, cello
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Amelia Plantation Chapel, 36 Bowman Rd, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
The award-winning Viano Quartet joins Festival favorite and GRAMMY-Award winning cellist Zuill Bailey for a night of chamber music synergy.
Program (to last approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with intermission included)
Capriccio from Four Pieces, Op. 81 by Felix Mendelssohn
String Quartet in D Major, Op. 44 No. 1 by Felix Mendelssohn
Intermission
String Quintet in C Major, D. 956 Franz Schubert

Viano Quartet
Praised for their “virtuosity, visceral expression, and rare unity of intention” (Boston Globe), the Viano Quartet are among the most sought-after young ensembles today and recipients of the 2025 Avery Fisher Career Grant. Since winning First Prize at the 13th Banff International String Quartet Competition, they have performed in major cities including New York, London, Berlin, Paris, Hong Kong, Beijing, Toronto, and Los Angeles. They are currently members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program (2024–2027).
Highlights of their 2024–25 season include their Alice Tully Hall debut, opening CMS’s season, and their David Geffen Hall debut with Sir Stephen Hough for the world premiere of his new piano quintet. Other appearances include Wolf Trap, Northwestern University, MoCA Westport, and chamber music series in Dallas, Salt Lake City, and Carmel. In Canada, they will perform in Toronto, Kingston, and Vancouver, collaborating with guitarist Miloš Karadaglić. As Music in the Morning’s inaugural June Goldsmith Quartet-in-Residence, they will return to Vancouver in March for performances and community engagement.
Committed to education, the Viano Quartet has taught at Music@Menlo, SUNY Buffalo, the Colburn Academy, and Duke University, among others. This season includes an extended residency at the University of Victoria. Previous residencies include the Curtis Institute, Colburn Conservatory, and SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts.
Their collaborators include Emanuel Ax, Inon Barnatan, James Ehnes, Marc-André Hamelin, Bridget Kibbey, and Elisso Virsaladze. Their debut album, Portraits (Curtis Label), features works by Schubert, Price, Tchaikovsky, and Ginastera.
Before their Banff win, the quartet earned top prizes at the Wigmore Hall, Osaka, Fischoff, ENKOR, and Yellow Springs competitions. They studied under members of the Dover, Guarneri, and Tokyo Quartets.
The name “Viano” symbolizes the unity of the four string instruments, playing together like one instrument—like a piano.
Zuill Bailey

Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winning, internationally renowned soloist, recitalist, Artistic Director and teacher. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has made him one of the most sought after and active cellists today.
Mr. Bailey has been featured with symphony orchestras and music festivals worldwide. He won the Best Solo Performance Grammy Award in 2017, for his recording of Michael Daugherty’s “Tales of Hemingway,” with the Nashville Symphony led by Giancarlo Guerrero. His extensive discography includes his newest release – the world premier recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Cello Concerto with the Santa Rosa Symphony. In 2021 he released his second recording of the Bach Cello Suites for PS Audio’s Octave Records label, recorded and mixed in stereo and multichannel sound.
He appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series “Oz,” and has been heard on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” “Tiny Desk Concert,” “Performance Today,” “Saint Paul Sunday,” BBC’s “In Tune,” XM Radio’s “Live from Studio II,” Sirius Satellite Radio’s “Virtuoso Voices,” and his latest disc of Bach Suites was the disc of the week on Sirius’ Symphony Hall.

Mr. Bailey received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Peabody Conservatory where he was named the 2014 Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni, and received a Master’s Degree from the Juilliard School. He performs on the “rosette” 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet.
He is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar, (Alaska), Juneau Jazz and Classics, (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington), Classical Inside Out Series- Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and is Director of the Center for Arts Entrepreneurship and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

SOLD-OUT Emmylou Harris and Friends
2026-03-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa, 39 Beach Lagoon Road, Amelia Island, FL, 32034
*The concert is sold out, and our waitlist has reached capacity, so we’re no longer taking additional names.
Join us for a truly special night as legendary artist Emmylou Harris takes the stage in the newly renovated Amelia Ballroom at the Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa in a concert benefitting Nassau Humane Society. With her timeless voice and storytelling, Harris will be joined by three extraordinary friends: acclaimed Irish singer Maura O’Connell, Tammy Rogers King, co-founder of the Fernandina Beach Songwriters Festival, and John Mock, American multi-instrumentalist & composer. Together, they will create an unforgettable evening of song and harmony. The proceeds will benefit the Nassau Humane Society, making this concert not only a celebration of music, but also a gift to our community.
Traffic Advisory
Due to ongoing road construction at Amelia Island Parkway and Buccaneer Trail, road closures will be in effect the day of the concert.

Parts of Amelia Parkway will be closed, along with parts of Buccaneer Trail.
A detour is in place via 14th Street → Simmons Road → Fletcher Avenue (A1A). Click here to view a map of the suggested detour.
Please allow an additional 5–15 minutes of travel time, depending on traffic.
Navigation apps (Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps) should reflect the detour.

For the smoothest arrival, we recommend allowing extra time when traveling to the concert.
Parking/Shuttle Buses
Parking at the Omni Conference Center is very limited. Guests are strongly encouraged to carpool or arrange to be dropped off. Most guests will park in one of the two on-property satellite parking lots and take a complimentary shuttle to the venue.

Two Satellite Parking Locations: (both within the Omni Resort complex – detailed directions are at the bottom of this email)

Racquet Park is our primary parking location and will have the most frequent shuttle service. Once Racquet Park fills, guests will be directed to Oak Marsh, which will also have continuous shuttle service.
Racquet Park (primary lot near Nonna Mia) – Racquet Park Dr, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034. Click here to open this location in Google Maps.
Oak Marsh (near the Oaks Community Center) – 203 Sea Marsh Rd, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034. Click here to open this location in Google Maps.

Valet Parking: Valet parking is available at the front of the hotel for $40 per vehicle. Guests may choose to valet their car and walk approximately 5 minutes to the Omni Conference Center.
Shuttle Details:

Shuttles begin running at 3:15 PM
Shuttle ride time: just a few minutes
Please note which lot you parked in, as shuttle buses will display signs indicating their destination.

Arrival Recommendation:

Plan to board a shuttle no later than 4:15 PM to arrive and be seated before the concert begins
For the smoothest experience, we recommend arriving at the parking lots by 3:50 PM
Guests arriving closer to 4:15 PM should expect longer wait times

Accessibility & Reserved Parking:

Guests with handicap placards or accessibility needs may park in the Omni Parking Garage. Click here to open this location in Google Maps.

To read more concert details, please view our venue email here: https://mailchi.mp/7a61d2732926/important-emmylou-harris-parking-information?e=5dbfc3750f

Family Concert: Just Jazzin’ Around with the Gary Motley Trio
2026-04-18 15:00 - 16:30 | Maxwell Hall at Memorial United Methodist Church, 50 N 6th St, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
The Gary Motley Trio introduces young audiences to the quintessential American musical art form in this fun, interactive, and free performance. Designed for young listeners but perfect for music lovers of all ages!
Maxwell Hall is located behind the Memorial United Methodist Church Sanctuary, on 6th Street.
Gary Motley
Gary Motley is a jazz pianist, teacher, composer, arranger, and author who has been a prominent figure in the jazz scene of the southeastern United States since he started his solo career in 1994. He is renowned for his exceptional skills as a pianist and composer across various genres, such as straight-ahead jazz and chamber music. His talent has been recognized by multiple organizations like the American Composers Forum, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Great American Jazz Piano Competition. In 2015, he was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Gary has collaborated with many leading jazz artists and released over 30 albums. His latest album, Spectrum (2024), features Edwin Livingston (bass) and Clarence Penn (drums. He has appeared as a guest on NPR’s Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland and performed with renowned musicians, including Dave Brubeck, Regina Carter, Mel Tormé, and Bob Mintzer. His compositions span multiple genres and have premiered at national and international festivals.
Apart from his artistic work, Gary is committed to jazz education. He is a teaching professor and the founding Director of Jazz Studies at Emory University. Gary authored Harmonic Development and Contrapuntal Techniques for the Jazz Pianist (Taylor & Francis, 2024).
Emrah Kotan
Emrah Kotan, an accomplished and versatile musician, hailing from Turkey, has established himself as a distinguished percussionist with a rich blend of classical training and contemporary jazz expertise. Graduating with a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University in the United States, Emrah’s musical journey knows no boundaries.
Emrah’s performances have graced illustrious stages across the globe, from the vibrant Istanbul Jazz Festival and the captivating Singapore Jazz Festival, to the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival and the legendary Blue Note in New York. His artistry transcends genres and cultures, reflecting a profound and unique musical sensibility that captivates audiences and peers alike.
Andy Eulau
Bassist Andy Eulau is a musical product of the vast diversity that defines his native New York metropolitan area.
A veteran of the New York music scene, his “drive and rich sound” (Downbeat Magazine) led to associations with the Village Vanguard Orchestra, the BMI Jazz Orchestra, Gene Bertoncini, S.Y.O.T.O.S., and the Gary Morgan Pan-American Big Band, as well as several theater and symphony orchestras.
Andy has performed all over the world in the concert halls and jazz clubs of four continents—Africa, Asia, Europe and North America—with a long list of artists—most notably Ray Barretto, Anthony Braxton, Freddie Bryant and Bobby Sanabria.
Recording credits include dates with the Bill Charlap Trio, Cliff Korman and the Brazilian Tinge, and the Anthony Braxton Quartet.
Publications such as Downbeat, All About Jazz, The Sunday Herald, and Guardian Unlimited have given him favorable mention. He’s been honored as a Jazz Ambassador by The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the U.S. Department of State.
Andy holds a Master of Music degree from world-renowned North Texas University, winning awards in both the Jazz and Classical performance areas. His education includes formal private study with Lyn Christie, Eleanor Hancock, Jack Messing, Ed Rainbow, and Irwin Stahl. He’s also studied informally with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown, Rufus Reid, and Harvie S.
His education methods are informed by not only his wide musical performance palette, but also by his extensive teaching experience at The Steiner School, New York University, Rutgers University, Kean University, Drew University, and New Jersey City University, where he taught applied lessons in classical and jazz double bass and bass guitar as well as jazz improvisation and jazz history classes. He also conducted and coached combos, chamber groups and jazz ensembles.
Upon relocating to the Atlanta, GA area in 2019, he enjoys widening his musical palette and sharing his skill set with others in his new home. He is currently teaching at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville Alabama, and Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

SOLD-OUT Khatia Buniatishvili, piano
2026-04-21 19:00 - 21:00 | The Preserve at The Amelia River Club, 4477 Buccaneer Trail, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
A global sensation, Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili brings her signature intensity and poetic power to Amelia Island for a rare, unforgettable recital.
Please click here for concert logistics information: https://mailchi.mp/9a56b95b5e11/concert-details-for-khatia-buniatishvili
Program (subject to change)
*Concert length: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes without intermission*
Schubert: Sonata in B-flat Major, D.960
15-Minute Intermission
Schubert/Liszt: Gretchen am Spinnrade
Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Liszt: Consolation n.3
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 in D-flat Major
Khatia Buniatishvili
An electrifying virtuoso with dazzling musicality, Georgian-French pianist Buniatishvili is an unparalleled artist, passionately committed to her craft.
A fixture in the most prestigious venues around the world, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Festival Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, Philharmonie de Paris, and Suntory Hall, as well as at the Salzburg, Verbier, BBC Proms, Progetto Martha Argerich, and the Hollywood Bowl festivals. Her notable collaborations involve the Israel Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, NHK Symphony, London Symphony, Orchestre National de Paris, and Munich Philharmonic, and prominent conductors, among them Zubin Mehta, Gustavo Dudamel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Paavo Järvi, Jaap Van Zweden, Gianandrea Noseda, Myung-Whun Chung and Leonard Slatkin.
Recipient of two ECHO Klassik Awards, Khatia is an exclusive Sony Artist, whose recordings encompass the works of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Liszt, Bach, and Schubert, as well as Satie, Morricone, Gainsbourg, Pärt, and Cage. In addition to her solo albums, she has recorded with Gidon Kremer, Paavo Järvi, and the band Coldplay.
A committed humanitarian, she has participated in benefit concerts for causes close to her heart: the plight of refugees, the United Nations, human rights, and music education.
Beginning piano lessons with her mother at the age of three, Khatia gave her first concert with the Chamber Orchestra of Tbilisi at six. She studied with Tengiz Amiredjibi in Tbilisi and went on to work with Oleg Maisenberg in Vienna.

Marasco Young Artists’ Concert
2026-05-09 17:00 - 18:00 | Memorial United Methodist Church, 601 Centre St, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
Celebrate the next generation of talented musicians from Nassau County in this concert featuring local young musicians. This vibrant new concert tradition is in remembrance of the Festival’s former Executive Director, Dr. Joe Marasco.
The Festival will also host a cookie and juice reception immediately following the concert, to give our young performers an opportunity to meet their fans!
Performers:
Allegiance Youth Choir
Eloise Fleck | voice
Mark, Maggie, and Levi Thrift | bass, fiddle, and guitar
Peregrine Kirby | piano
Samira Dean | voice
Abigail Farina and Jeremiah Jones | piano duo
TJ Ryan | guitar
Natalie Ealum | voice
Nathan Ealum | cello
Victoria Maltagliati | clarinet
and others!

Beethoven & Beer (4:30 PM SOLD OUT or 7:30 PM)
2026-06-10 16:30 - 20:30 | Mocama Beer Company, 629 South 8th St, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
Raise a glass with the Miró Quartet at our signature casual concert blending masterful Beethoven with a relaxed brewery vibe. It’s the perfect pairing of tradition and fun!
Two identical show will take place on Wednesday, June 10, 2026; one at 4:30pm (SOLD OUT) and one at 7:30pm. Please make sure you are purchasing tickets for the correct showtime.
To view concert logistics information, please click below:
4:30 PM show: https://mailchi.mp/7c66506c6499/concert-details-for-beethoven-beer
7:30 PM show: https://mailchi.mp/5cc6032ba3d5/concert-details-for-beethoven-beer-14726496
Where do I find my concert time? Your concert time is printed directly under “Your Ticket” on your ticket. Please double-check whether your ticket says 4:30 PM or 7:30 PM before arriving. If you have questions, please call 904-261-1779.
Program (approximately 1 hour with no intermission)
BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major, Op. 130
Presto
HAYDN String Quartet in D major, Op. 71, “Apponyi”, No. 2
Adagio – Allegro
Adagio cantabile
CAROLINE SHAW “Microfictions”
Movements 2, 3, & 5
RAVEL String Quartet in F major
Allegro moderato – Très doux
Vif et agité
Miró Quartet

The Miró Quartet is one of America’s most celebrated string quartets, praised as “furiously committed” by The New Yorker and recognized for its “exceptional tonal focus and interpretive intensity” by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. For nearly 30 years, the GRAMMY®-nominated quartet has performed on the world’s most prestigious concert stages, earning accolades from critics and audiences alike. Based in Austin, TX, and thriving on the area’s storied music scene, the Miró takes pride in finding new ways to communicate with audiences of all backgrounds while cultivating the longstanding tradition of chamber music. Miró Quartet’s recent and upcoming projects include a touring and recording project with pianist Lara Downes titled Here on Earth, featuring musical depictions of our planet, its evolution, and the lives of its inhabitants; the premiere of a new version of Kevin Puts’ Credo with the Naples Philharmonic; and collaborations with composers Steven Banks, Tamar-Kali, and Gabriel Kahane, as well as soprano Karen Slack. Having independently released many celebrated recordings for a variety of global labels, the Miró Quartet was nominated for a 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for its second album on Pentatone, Home, featuring two new commissions by Kevin Puts and Caroline Shaw, as well as works by George Walker and Samuel Barber.
It was nominated for a 2024 GRAMMY® Award for Best Choral Performance for House of Belonging, created in collaboration with Austin-based choral group Conspirare. The quartet recently produced an Emmy Award-winning audiovisual multimedia project titled Transcendence, a documentary centered around a performance of Franz Schubert’s Quartet in G Major on rare Stradivarius instruments, available on livestream, CD, and Blu-ray. Formed in 1995, the Miró Quartet was awarded first prize at several national and international competitions including the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Competition. Deeply committed to music education, members of the Quartet have given master classes at universities and conservatories throughout the world, and since 2003 has served as the quartet-in-residence at the University of Texas at Austin Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music. In 2005, the Quartet became the first ensemble ever to be awarded the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant. The Miró Quartet took its name and its inspiration from the Spanish artist Joan Miró, whose Surrealist works — with subject matter drawn from the realm of memory, dreams, and imaginative fantasy — are some of the most groundbreaking, influential, and admired of the 20th century.

SOLD OUT Festival Finale: Miró Quartet and Beth Newdome Fellows
2026-06-13 15:00 - 17:00 | Historic Courthouse, 416 Centre St, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034, United States
Join us for a rousing 25th Anniversary Season closer with the Miró Quartet and the rising stars of the Beth Newdome Fellowship program. This concert is a celebration of mentorship, musical excellence, and community.
Immediately following the concert, all attendees are invited to join us for a food and wine reception to celebrate the end of our 25th Anniversary Season.
Program (approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with 15-minute intermission)
BEETHOVEN String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 3
DEBUSSY String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10
Intermission
MENDELSSOHN String Octet, Op.20 (first and last movements only)
SCHUBERT String Quartet No. 14 “Death and the Maiden” (presto)

Miró Quartet

The Miró Quartet is one of America’s most celebrated string quartets, praised as “furiously committed” by The New Yorker and recognized for its “exceptional tonal focus and interpretive intensity” by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. For nearly 30 years, the GRAMMY®-nominated quartet has performed on the world’s most prestigious concert stages, earning accolades from critics and audiences alike. Based in Austin, TX, and thriving on the area’s storied music scene, the Miró takes pride in finding new ways to communicate with audiences of all backgrounds while cultivating the longstanding tradition of chamber music. Miró Quartet’s recent and upcoming projects include a touring and recording project with pianist Lara Downes titled Here on Earth, featuring musical depictions of our planet, its evolution, and the lives of its inhabitants; the premiere of a new version of Kevin Puts’ Credo with the Naples Philharmonic; and collaborations with composers Steven Banks, Tamar-Kali, and Gabriel Kahane, as well as soprano Karen Slack. Having independently released many celebrated recordings for a variety of global labels, the Miró Quartet was nominated for a 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for its second album on Pentatone, Home, featuring two new commissions by Kevin Puts and Caroline Shaw, as well as works by George Walker and Samuel Barber.
It was nominated for a 2024 GRAMMY® Award for Best Choral Performance for House of Belonging, created in collaboration with Austin-based choral group Conspirare. The quartet recently produced an Emmy Award-winning audiovisual multimedia project titled Transcendence, a documentary centered around a performance of Franz Schubert’s Quartet in G Major on rare Stradivarius instruments, available on livestream, CD, and Blu-ray. Formed in 1995, the Miró Quartet was awarded first prize at several national and international competitions including the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Competition. Deeply committed to music education, members of the Quartet have given master classes at universities and conservatories throughout the world, and since 2003 has served as the quartet-in-residence at the University of Texas at Austin Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music. In 2005, the Quartet became the first ensemble ever to be awarded the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant. The Miró Quartet took its name and its inspiration from the Spanish artist Joan Miró, whose Surrealist works — with subject matter drawn from the realm of memory, dreams, and imaginative fantasy — are some of the most groundbreaking, influential, and admired of the 20th century.

Am Meer Quartet

The Am Meer Quartet was established in 2025 at Manhattan School of Music and studies under Peter Winograd of the American String Quartet.
A native of Bethesda, Maryland, violist Harry Panner is pursuing his Masters in Music at Manhattan School of Music. Harry currently studies with Cong Wu, Assistant Principal Violist of the New York Philharmonic. Harry has performed as soloist with the Amherst Symphony Orchestra, in various chamber ensembles at the Bowdoin International Music Festival and as principal violist under the baton of Delyana Lazarova at the Round Top Festival Institute. An avid chamber musician, Harry has participated in masterclasses with leading musicians and ensembles including Emanuel Ax, the Juilliard String Quartet, the Miró Quartet, the Aizuri Quartet, and the Calder Quartet, among others. While a student at Amherst College, Harry helped to cofound the Amherst College Artist Connections program, connecting the college with the broader community through local outreach concerts and advocating support for music at the college with performances for the president and board of the institution. In 2025, Harry graduated Summa Cum Laude with distinction from Amherst College with majors in Music and in French.
Japanese-American violinist Kayla Yagi-Bacon is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Peter Winograd of the American String Quartet. She earned her Bachelor of Music with electives in business from the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University where she studied under Amy Schwartz Moretti, Robert McDuffie, and David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Kayla has served as concertmaster and principal of the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra, and in 2024, she was part of the Concertmaster Studio at the Brevard Music Center, leading the season’s final concert as concertmaster while studying with Robyn Bollinger of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. As an active chamber musician, she has performed with Matthew Lipman, Brannon Cho, Sydney Lee, Timothy Cobb, Fabiola Kim, Annie Fullard, Lawrence Dutton, Wolfram Koessel, Andrew Armstrong, and others. In her free time, she loves to bake and cook for friends and family.
Riku Korenaga is a violinist from Bethany, Connecticut. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studies with Nicholas Mann. He recently graduated from Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance under the guidance of Cornelia Heard. Riku began playing the violin at age three and has studied with distinguished teachers including Naoko Tanaka and Kikuei Ikeda. He is passionate about both solo and chamber music and has spent five summers at the Meadowmount School of Music and the past two summers at the Aspen Music Festival. He has participated in masterclasses with Gil Shaham and Edgar Meyer. He was the winner of the 2017 Hamden Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and received first prize in the 2019 Mitchell Family Fund Wallingford Symphony Orchestra String Concerto Competition, performing the Dvořák Violin Concerto for the orchestra’s children’s concerts. In addition to violin, Riku enjoys playing the piano—having studied with Amy Dorfman at Blair—and produces indie pop music for his sister in his free time.
Born and raised in Shanghai, Juewen Zhang is a cellist and Master of Music candidate in Orchestral Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, where she studies with Alan Stepansky. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree with Distinction and an Advanced Diploma in Performance from the Eastman School of Music, studying with David Ying. Juewen has served as Principal Cellist of the New York City Orchestra Project and has appeared as principal and assistant principal cellist under the direction of Christopher Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Sanderling, and David Chan. She has performed in major concert halls across the United States and Europe, including the Elbphilharmonie, the Konzerthaus Berlin, Koncertsalen Alsion, and Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, and has participated in festivals such as the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Brevard Music Center Summer Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival. In addition to performance, she is deeply committed to music outreach and community engagement, having worked as a Performing Artist with Eastman Performing Arts Medicine in hospital settings and as a Program Assistant with the Harmony Program in New York City, supporting music education initiatives for children in underserved communities.

Knödel String Quartet

Formed at Manhattan School of Music and based in NYC, the Knödel String Quartet—violinists Jihyun Baik and Yuyu Ikeda, violist Yat Lee, and cellist Hannah Kim—currently studies with Nicholas Mann and Peter Winograd. The quartet has appeared at the 2026 Robert Mann String Quartet Institute, and has additionally worked with esteemed artists including Wolfram Kossel, Eugene Drucker, Sam Rhodes, David Geber, and Mark Steinberg.
Violinist Yuyu Ikeda debuted at the age of ten with the Bellflower Symphony Orchestra. Currently based in New York, she performs regularly with the New York Classical Players and Princeton Symphony Orchestra. During the 2022–23 season, she served as concertmaster of the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra and assistant concertmaster of the Juilliard Orchestra. An active chamber musician, Yuyu is a first prize recipient of the Ruth Widder String Quartet Competition, and has appeared at Juilliard’s 37th Annual Focus Festival and the Sarasota Music Festival, where her performance was featured on WQXR-FM. A dedicated educator, she currently serves on the faculty of the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School and previously taught for Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program and the 2023 Artists Program Chamber Music Festival. She also regularly programs outreach concerts with Concerts in Motion and Project Music Heals Us. Yuyu holds degrees from Juilliard and Oberlin Conservatory, as well as a bachelor’s degree in biology from Oberlin College, and is currently pursuing a Professional Performance Diploma at the Manhattan School of Music.
Jihyun Baik is a New York–based violinist whose musical life is rooted in collaboration, community engagement, and teaching. Born in South Korea, she developed her passion for the violin under the influence of her mother, a dedicated Suzuki violin teacher. A prizewinner of the 2020 Euroasia International Competition, Jihyun has appeared as a soloist with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Royal Symphony Orchestra, and Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn. In 2025, she received the Manfred-Grommek-Förderpreis at the Kronberg Academy Masterclasses and was awarded First Prize at the Ruth Widder Competition for String Quartets. She is also a laureate of the Chicago Violin Competition and received a special prize at the Rodolfo Lipizer International Violin Competition. Jihyun has participated in major music festivals including the Taos School of Music, Heifetz Institute of Music Chamber Music Seminar, Aspen Music Festival, and Pacific Music Festival. She toured as a member of the Heifetz Ensemble in Residence and collaborated with artists such as violist Paul Neubauer. Jihyun attended Korea National University of Arts on special admission at age sixteen, received her Master’s degree from The Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Manhattan School of Music.
Hong Kong violist Yat Lee has performed extensively across Europe, the United States, Asia, and the Middle East, appearing in leading venues including the Musikverein Wien, Wiener Konzerthaus, Berlin Konzerthaus, Royal Albert Hall, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Carnegie Hall, KKL Luzern, Victoria Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, and Suzhou Museum. An avid chamber musician, Lee has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Maxim Vengerov, Nobuko Imai, Renaud Capuçon, Gérard Caussé, Liviu Prunaru, Clemens Hagen, Antonio Lysy, and Gilbert Kalish. He has been invited to major international festivals including Wien Modern, Prussia Cove, Gstaad Menuhin, Pablo Casals, Kuhmo, Music@Menlo, Stauffer, and Beare’s Premiere Music Festival, and has appeared on international broadcasts for ORF, Léman Bleu, and RTHK. A prizewinner of the Kreisler Institute Competition (Vienna) and the Ruth Widder Competition (New York), Lee is currently studying at the Manhattan School of Music with Pinchas Zukerman and Patinka Kopec on full scholarship. He performs on a c.1800 John Betts viola on loan from the PostScript Collection through Beare’s International Violin Society.
Hannah Jiwon Kim is a Korean-American cellist based in New York City. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School (B.M. 2022) and the Royal Academy of Music in London (M.Mus. 2024), and has performed at major international venues including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and Lincoln Center. Highlights of the 2026–2027 season include concerto appearances with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic at the Schönbrunn Palace Theater and with the Madrid Atlántida Chamber Orchestra at the National Auditorium, as well as tours of Greece and the Netherlands with the Athens State Orchestra and the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra of Szolnok. In summer 2026, she will perform Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Cello in Europe. Hannah has appeared at festivals such as Orford Musique, Música en Compostela, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet Seminar, and has collaborated with leading artists including Barbara Hannigan and Emmanuel Ax. A committed multidisciplinary artist, she is the founder of Irregular Pearl, a nonprofit digital platform dedicated to innovative, accessible classical music education and resource-sharing.

Blue Danube Tauck River Cruise
2027-07-22 - 2027-08-02 | FL
Would you be interested in cruising Europe with friends from Amelia Island? The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival is delighted to partner with Wallace Pierson Travel for a special Tauck Blue Danube river cruise opportunity in summer 2027.
This unforgettable journey is a chance to enjoy a beautiful European vacation with like-minded music lovers while also supporting the Festival, as this trip serves as a fundraiser for this organization. Travelers will experience the beauty, history, and culture of the Danube while building community with fellow Festival friends and supporters. We are also busy planning special musical moments for our travelers to make the experience even more meaningful.
This 12-day Tauck journey features a 9-night Danube river cruise, with visits to iconic destinations including Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, Salzburg, Regensburg, and the Wachau Valley. Along the way, travelers will enjoy Tauck’s signature service, thoughtfully planned excursions, and exclusive cultural experiences.
Tauck’s Blue Danube river cruise includes:

All hotel and riverboat accommodations
Motor coach transportation during the tour
Land excursions, sightseeing, admissions, and entertainment
Exclusive dinners and cultural experiences
Beverages aboard the riverboat, including unlimited soft drinks, regional wine, beer, and premium spirits
Services of ship staff, local guides, motor coach drivers, the Tauck Director, and the Tauck Cruise Director
All customary gratuities for hotel and ship staff, local guides, drivers, Tauck Directors, and the Tauck Cruise Director
Select transfers to and from the airport or train station, when arranged according to Tauck’s guidelines

Highlights of the itinerary include Tauck Exclusive experiences such as a private Imperial Evening at a palace in Vienna, a private aperitif and dinner at Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle, and a private tour of Prague’s Baroque libraries at Strahov Monastery.
This is a wonderful opportunity for couples, friends, and solo travelers alike. Tauck offers No Single Supplement on Category 1 cabins on all European river cruises, making this an especially welcoming option for those traveling independently.
For questions, trip details, or to book your place, please contact Wallace Pierson Travel:
904.261.5914
info@wallacepierson.com
