Phoenix Avalon | violin
Adrian Steele | violin
Devin Moore | viola
Joshua McClendon | cello
The Isidore String Quartet, winners of the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022 and recipients of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2023, was founded in 2019 and is dedicated to exploring, rediscovering and revitalising the repertoire. Strongly influenced by the Juilliard Quartet, the young New York-based ensemble is distinguished by its distinctive sound and its exceptionally lively interpretations. A key aspect of their approach is treating the old as if it were new, and the new as if it were old. The quartet came together at the Juilliard School’s chamber music programme.
In North America, the Isidore Quartet has performed in prestigious concert series in Boston, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Washington DC, San Francisco and many other cities. It collaborates with leading artists such as violinist James Ehnes and pianist Jeremy Denk. In the 2025/26 season, the ensemble collaborated for the first time with clarinettist Anthony McGill, cellist Sterling Elliott and the Miró Quartet.
In Europe, the quartet has performed at venues including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, in Berlin (Konzerthaus), Bonn (Beethoven-Haus), Frankfurt (Alte Oper), Stuttgart (Liederhalle), Cologne (Philharmonie), Linz (Brucknerhaus), Brussels (Flagery), as well as at the Dresden Music Festival, the Lucerne Festival and the Edinburgh Festival, and recently made its debut at the Philharmonie de Paris and London’s Wigmore Hall. In the 2026/2027 season, the ensemble will perform at Beethovenfest Bonn, Rheingau Music Festival and the Konzerthaus Dortmund.
In recent years, the quartet has developed a strong connection to the works of composer and pianist Billy Childs, performing his Quartets Nos. 2 and 3 throughout North America and Europe. In February 2026, the composer’s fourth quartet, dedicated to the ensemble, received its world premiere. In the same year, their debut CD, Adoration, was released on Delos/Outhere.
Both on stage and outside the concert hall, the Isidore Quartet is deeply committed to engaging with young and older people, as well as marginalised groups who would otherwise have limited access to high-quality live concerts. The musicians view music as a ›playground‹ and seek to break down barriers in order to foster collaboration and creativity.
The name Isidore refers to the ensemble’s musical connection with the Juilliard Quartet and the Beaux Art Trio, whose early members included the legendary violinist Isidore Cohen.
