VANCOUVER CELLO QUARTET

Formed in 2012, The Vancouver Cello Quartet is comprised of four dedicated professionals who perform original works and arrangements for cellos.

 

This ensemble of classically trained players celebrates the unequaled sound of four cellos. Since their acclaimed debut, the Quartet has quickly won the hearts of music lovers through their performances of staples of the classical music repertoire as well as contemporary and popular works, all of which showcase the limitless possibilities of the instrument they love.
The mission of the Vancouver Cello Quartet is to create an eclectic mix of repertoire for every concert, shaping the program according to each venue’s interests while maintaining our commitment to musical diversity.

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Formerly the Principal Cellist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Lee received his early training in the San Francisco Bay Area and a degree in performance from the University of Illinois. An active soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in festivals in BC, Ontario, Alaska, Washington, California, Colorado, and South Korea. For the past 35 summers, he has been the Principal Cellist of the Cabrillo Music Festival of Contemporary Music in California. In Vancouver, Mr. Duckles has enjoyed an association with the Vancouver Academy of Music, The University of British Columbia, the Vancouver New Music Society – (a founding director and performer), the Masterpiece Music Series, and The Vancouver Chamber Players. He has recorded for the CBC, both as a performer and arranger, the Musical Heritage Society of America, Heliodor, Polydor, and Skylark Records. He is currently the Co-Director of the Vancouver Chamber Players and President of the Vancouver Cello Club.

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Originally from South Korea, Luke Wook-Young Kim has been a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 2015. He completed his undergraduate studies at UBC, where he received the Catherine-Cooke Topping Memorial Medal for musical excellence. Then, he finished his Master of Music degree as a full scholarship student at UCLA. His teachers include Antonio Lysy, Joseph Elworthy, Eric Wilson, John Friesen, and Kenneth Friedman. Luke participated in masterclasses with Lynn Harrell, Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot, Raphael Wallfisch, Paul Katz, and Desmond Hoebig. He also participated in summer music festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival, the Early Music Vancouver Programme, and the Incontri in Terra di Siena Music Festival. Luke has appeared in various concert series, such as the Dilijan Chamber Music Series (Los Angeles), the West Vancouver Community Arts Council, the Vancouver Chamber Music Society, and the UBC’s Wednesday Noon Hours Series. He has performed as a soloist with various orchestras such as the West Coast Symphony (Vancouver), the Seoul Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, the Polish Czestochowa Philharmonic Orchestra, the Busan Metropolitan Pops Orchestra, and the Busan Neo Philharmonic (Korea).

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Romanian-Canadian cellist Cristian Márkos earned his B.Mus in Music Performance from the Music Academy in Bucharest, Romania. He went on to the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for post-graduate studies with Mr. Wolfgang Laufer, late cellist of the renowned Fine Arts Quartet. For the 2012-2013 concert season, Cristian joined the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Cellist . As an accomplished symphony and chamber musician, he has toured with the Mont Blanc Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the late Maestro/cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, and as a soloist Cristian has performed on stages in Romania, France, Germany, Austria, Greece, Italy, United States, and Canada.

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Kevin’s musical training began in Seoul, South Korea. In 2002 he was given a full scholarship to pursue his performance degree at the University of North Texas. Kevin was invited to perform in the final rounds of many prestigious competitions and festivals and won first prize in the WRR 101.1 Chamber Music International Competition in 2005. In 2006, he was invited to the Prague Conservatory of Music and the Janacek Academy in the Czech Republic for series of recitals. He has been principal cellist of the British Columbia Music Educators Association Orchestra (BCMEA), the University of North Texas Symphony & Chamber Orchestra, the Winspear Opera Orchestra, and the Pilgrim Orchestra. In addition to his career as a recitalist and chamber musician, Kevin currently serves as an Artistic Director of the Vancouver Chamber Music Society. Kevin is a dedicated teacher and is a faculty member of several learning centres in the lower mainland, including the Pacific Coast School of Music. Since 2010 Kevin has been based in New Westminster.