Stelth Ng | Grigori String Quartet

GRIGORI STRING QUARTET

MICHELLE ZHENG PHOTOGRAPHY

May 2017; Toronto, Ontario

The Grigori String Quartet

Formed in September 2012 at the University of Toronto, The Grigori String Quartet consists of violinists Stelth Ng and M Gillian Carrabré, violist Matt Antal, and cellist Tess Crowther.

Coached by Violinist, Dr Timothy Ying of the Ying Quartet, the ensemble has performed regularly in the Greater Toronto Area, including the noon concert series at the University of Toronto, Christ Church Deer Park Concert Series, Belmont House, The Fairways, and The Arts and Letters Club.

The Quartet was selected as the recipient of the 2013 Felix Galimir Chamber Competition Award at The University of Toronto and was invited to perform at the Krembil Research Institute at the Toronto Western Hospital as a part of Vision Health Awareness Month in collaboration with The Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute.

In May of 2017, The GSQ recorded, filmed, and worked in collaboration with Charlotte Ballet and Toronto Composer, Laura Sgroi to produce "Transcendence: Hold On" - a choreographic ballet short film in dedication to Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux.

May 2018 saw the next Collaborative Production with The National Youth Orchestra of Canada & DanceTeq Toronto; with Guest Violist, Carolyn Farnand; Opera Atelier Dancers, Tyler Gledhill & Choreographer Jeremy Nasmith; and Ballerina, Anna Pogulyaeva.

The filmed tribute was made in honour and memory of late violist, Jonah Poplove (1993-2017) and aims to spread awareness of mental illness for artists, musicians, and dancers.

The Grigori String Quartet was thrilled to welcome Violinist, M Gillian Carrabré in 2016.

The group’s name originates from the Slavic translation of an Angel Watcher.

Stelth Ng, Violin

Toronto Musician and Dance Collaborator, Stelth Ng, began playing the piano at age four and violin at age five. He holds the Royal Conservatory of Music ARCT Performance Diploma for both instruments and owes his early musical training to Nancy Hou (Piano) and Praise Lam (Violin).

Formal Principal Teachers include Jacques Israelievitch, Timothy Ying, Yosuke Kawasaki, Aaron Berofsky, and Roland & Almita Vamos.

A graduate of the University of Toronto, Stelth works regularly in Toronto as a ballet accompanist, and spends most of his time pursuing film productions, taking ballet photography, and collaborating with different artists.

Read More Here: Full Length Biography

M Gillian Carrabré, Violin

Violinist, M Gillian Carrabré, has cultivated a diverse career that includes both popular and classical music projects. A graduate of performance programs at Mount Royal University (Dip.), McGill University (BMus), and the University of Ottawa (MMus) respectively, she is currently in her fourth and final year of a PhD in Musicology at the University of Western Ontario.

Ms. Carrabré’s orchestral experience includes two National Youth Orchestra of Canada tours (2006, 2011); Concertmaster of the University of Calgary, University of Ottawa, and University of Ottawa Opera Orchestras; Associate Concertmaster of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, alongside positions in the McGill Symphony Orchestra, the Brandon Chamber Players and as a substitute player for The National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Additionally, she has performed as a soloist in Italy at the Casalmaggiore International Festival and has participated in masterclasses with acclaimed musicians including James Ehnes, Erika Raum, Ian Swenson, Yaela Hertz, Jonathan Crow, Livia Sohn, Andrew Dawes, Andres Cardenes, Tadeusz Gadzina, Feng Ning, Cho-Liang Lin, and Kai Gleustein.

Ms. Carrabré regularly pairs with DJs in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal on electric violin, improvising over electronic dance music. Notable performances in the past include Ottawa’s Red Door Party 2013, Bash En Blanc 2014, Humura Charity Fashion Show, and The INDIE Fashion Exhibit in both 2013 and 2015. This work has led her to a partnership with the Ottawa hip hop community where she became involved with an improvisation collective, Each1Teach1, which enables live improvisation performances with local dancers and musicians. Prior to her interest with improvisation, Ms. Carrabré performed with folk- rock group Ilvekyo, sharing the stage with Matthew Good Band (Blues Fest 2013), Hollerado (Kitchissippi Fest 2013) and The Sheepdogs (Kitchissippi Fest 2014), among others. She has also performed in a stage band for Jane Siberry. As a studio musician, she has recorded with Canadian bands such as John Allaire, Pony Girl, Blakdenim, Sketch Williams, and Cast in Cadence.

Ms. Carrabré’s current academic work developed from her fascination with electronic dance music. Her dissertation topic in Canadian rave music and culture has led to numerous conference presentations at MUSCAN, StoneyBrook University, Ncounters, and more recently, the upcoming IASPM Canada conference in May. She will complete her PhD Degree in 2018.

For the past year, Ms Carrabré has been the director and host of a radio show on CHRW in London, Ontario called Elektribe, which features the work of DJs, producers, and singer-songwriters involved in the Canadian electronic dance music culture. Upcoming developments for Elektribe include a YouTube channel devoted to interviews and live performances. Elektribe was initially conceived as a fan (maga-)”zine” featuring articles on the Canadian rave scene and can be viewed online.

Ms. Carrabré currently plays on an 1890 Erminio Montefiori violin and a bow constructed by Canadian bow-maker, François Malo. She joined the Grigori String Quartet in 2016.

Watch YouTube Promotional Video:

M Promotional Video ft. DJ Tom Thanks

Western University Gazette Interview:

What's All The Rave About?

Matt Antal, Viola

Matt Antal, a native of Toronto, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Viola Performance from the University of Toronto and a Master's Degree from the University of Victoria. He has studied and performed for a variety of international artists and ensembles, including Katharine Rapoport, Joanna Hood, Timothy Ying, Marietta Orlov, The Gryphon Trio, The Prazak String Quartet, and The St Lawrence String Quartet.

He was a co-founding member of the Grigori String Quartet, which was awarded First Place in the 2013 Felix Galimir String Quartet Competition at the University of Toronto, and has performed at various outreach programs and recitals in the Greater Toronto Area, including the University of Toronto Noon Concert Series, The Arts and Letters Recital Series, and Music at Belmont House Recitals.

A passionate performer of Early Music, Matt's participation in the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer and Winter Institutes have led him to invitations to perform with the world-renowned Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir ensemble regularly in Toronto, as well as various other Early Music Ensembles such as Scaramella, Musicians in Ordinary, Rezonance Baroque Ensemble, I Furiosi, Elixir Ensemble, Talisker Players, and Magisterra Soloists of London. Currently, Matt is working towards his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Early Music at the University of Toronto under a full tuition scholarship with acclaimed specialists Patrick Jordan and Stefano Marcocchi.

Matt maintains a busy audio recording and production studio, having worked with various classical, baroque, and band artists from Toronto and New York City.

His hobbies include playing drums and the exploration of culinary arts and consumption of ethnic foods.

Tess Crowther, Cello

Tess Crowther, from Edmonton, Alberta, holds a Performance Diploma from The Glenn Gould School, and a Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from Southern Methodist University. She is currently completing a performance diploma at Southern Methodist University studying with Andres Diaz and Chris Adkins.

Tess is currently a member of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and the Waco Symphony Orchestra. She was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the Canada-India National Youth Orchestra and Canadian Opera Company Orchestra Academy, giving chamber appearances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, as well as performing with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra.

An avid chamber musician, Tess was a co-founding member and cellist of the Grigori String Quartet, which was awarded First Place at the University of Toronto’s Felix Galimir Competition. Tess has made regular appearances in chamber concerts in Toronto, including the Arts and Letters Club, University of Toronto Noon Concert Series, and Noon Concert Series at Christ Church Deer Park.

In addition, Tess has performed in numerous solo masterclasses across Europe and North America, including the Banff Centre and the Clandeboye Festival in Ireland. She has worked with various international artists and ensembles, including Lynn Harrell, Colin Carr, David Geringas, Raphael Wallfisch, and Melissa Kraut.

Outside of music, she enjoys reading and practicing yoga.

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