Alexander String Quartet

The Alexander String Quartet which has been hosted by the St. Lawrence University music department for 40 years is having their final fall season of concerts at SLU this week from October 1-3. The quartet itself will retire in the spring of 2025 as each of its members look to transition at this point in their careers.

The quartet has been one of the premier ensembles, having performed across five continents in various musical capitals around the world. Founded in New York City in 1981, the original ensemble garnered attention rapidly where they would later win the London International String Quartet Competition in 1985. The quartet as it is composed now includes Zakarias Grafilo (first violin), Yuna Lee (second violin), David Samuel (viola) and Sandy Wilson (cello). Following their final season, each of the members will continue to perform and teach with the intent of carrying on the legacy of the quartet in its pursuit of the group’s dedication of furthering musical education.

The quartet has gone through several member changes throughout its long history as a group. One of the most recent additions was Yuna Lee. She joined the group in 2023. With any new addition there is bound to be an adjustment period for the new member along with the entire group. Lee noted that she is continuing to learn from the group every day, along with that initially she had felt a bit intimidated given the groups long standing history as one of the premier quartets around the country and the world. That said, Lee also noted that even with this she was able to learn to be more patient with herself and just learn from the others on how they function and where she fits into the entire group.

Each of the other members also noted that each new member brings their own tone/style of playing to the group, and that change is a necessary component of the development of any group through the years. Sandy Wilson noted “changing one member changes everything and that’s healthy, you have to embrace them and adjust.”

The quartet throughout its history at SLU has played all across campus, not just in the Peterson-Kermani Performance Hall. Many of which were quite improbable locations. One of the most interesting student groups they’ve played for is the Adirondack semester out by the yurts. They traveled out via kayak and their instruments were also traversed out to them via boat. In addition to this, they also have played at all residence halls on campus along with Eben Holden and Herring Cole Hall.

Throughout their long history, they have run the gamut in terms of material that they have played. From that of Mozart to that of Kian Ravaei and everything in between, this wide range of music has provided the group with an ever-changing style of playing. David Samuel mentioned, “you should approach old music like it was made today.” The rest of the group also noted that all music was modern once and older pieces allow some creative liberty to the group regarding how the music is to be played. On the other hand, for more modern pieces, the group can ask the composer directly for clarification on the intended playing style. This discourse can be very constructive to both parties and overall work to make a better-formed piece.

In their last appearance at SLU prior to their final concert on Thursday at 7 p.m., several classes were afforded the opportunity to see them play in person and ask questions. Kris Mellor ’26 who attended along with his African American Political Thought class noted, “It was definitely a very cool and valuable experience, and I was impressed with how engaged they were with the audience.”

For those who did not have the opportunity to attend the Quartet’s last performance at SLU, their albums can be found at foghornclassics.com. For more information on the quartet and its history visit asq4.com.