the quartet
The 9th Street Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence for 9th Street Chamber Music – a chamber music performance and education program based in Northern Virginia. Since our formation in 2017, we have dedicated ourselves to making chamber music accessible to all, through performance series in intimate venues, and through our 9th Street Chamber Music String Quartet Intensive education program.
The 9th Street Quartet believes that the future of classical music lies in, well, the future! As culture takes a shift towards smaller, more personal, local connections (farm-to-table, local brewed, hand-crafted) we believe that classical music should be doing the same. Our programs are a blend of the old and the new: new masterpieces paired with old ones, traditional forms in intimate settings, experienced listeners with new concertgoers, and experienced musicians with students. We look forward to creating a tradition of commissioning new works from the amazing composers alive today, and building new partnerships with local organizations to help bring the communal chamber music experience to everyone.
meet the musicians
MAtt Richardson
Violin
Matt Richardson is a Freelance Violinist in the Metro-DC area, and Professor of Violin at Randolph-Macon College in Richmond, VA. He frequently performs with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, The National Philharmonic, the New Orchestra of Washington, The Williamsburg Symphony, Maryland Lyric Opera, and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, among others. Other orchestral experience includes performances with the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, the Virginia Opera, Opera on the James, the Mark Morris Dance Company, the International Chamber Orchestra of Washington, the Castleton Festival, the Cathedral Choral Society Orchestra, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, the Apollo Orchestra, and the American Festival Pops Orchestra. A frequent chamber musician, Matt is also a founding member of the 9th Street Quartet, the faculty Quartet-in-Residence at the 9th Street Chamber Music Program based out of Northern VA.
Jennifer Wade
Violin
Jennifer Wade is an Arlington native and returned to the area in 2001 after completing her studies at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. While at Blair, she won the school’s prestigious Branscomb Award for overall excellence. Her primary teachers include Alexander Yudkovsky, Gerald Greer, and Christian Teal and Cornelia Heard - violinists of the Blair String Quartet.
In 2009, Jennifer co-founded and served as Music Director of the Prelude Youth Orchestra Program. During her tenure with Prelude, Jennifer received the American String Teachers’ Association’s 2012-2013 Director of the Year Award for the State of Virginia. In 2010, Jennifer joined the faculty of the Levine School’s summer chamber music programs. She has also served as a judge for a number of area competitions including the National Music Teacher Association’s String Concerto Competition.
As an active freelancer, Jennifer plays with many of the area’s finest ensembles including the National Philharmonic, the American Pops Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony, the Alexandria Symphony, Amadeus Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony, the Virginia Consort, and more.
Liz O'Hara
Viola
Professional violist Liz O’Hara is passionate about the future of classical music, the wellbeing of its musicians, and the ensured opportunities of music education for all. She has extensive experience performing chamber music as a founding member of multiple professional ensembles, namely the 9th Street Quartet.
In addition to 9SCM, in late 2020, Liz launched ViolaCentric, a podcast and concert series, with duo partner and fellow violist Stephanie Knutsen. An active orchestral violist as well, Liz performs regularly with several ensembles, including the American Pops Orchestra, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Lyric Opera, National Philharmonic, and Richmond Symphony Orchestra. Liz also operates a boutique private viola studio. Her students have been participants at summer academies including Interlochen and Meadowmount, and have gone on to pursue music degrees at universities such as Vanderbilt and Carnegie Mellon University.
A native of central Pennsylvania, Liz has a B.M. in Viola Performance from Temple University and a M.M. in Viola Performance from The Catholic University of America. Liz and her husband Matt have been proud residents of Arlington, VA for twelve years with their two cats, Bo and Lane.
ANdrew Rammon
Cello
Andrew Rammon is cellist of the Grammy-nominated Eaken Piano Trio and the newly established Lycoming Piano Trio. Performances by the Eaken Trio have been broadcast on over 100 radio stations nationwide. Mr. Rammon has performed as a soloist and in chamber ensembles across the United States, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan.
Mr. Rammon teaches cello and chamber music at Susquehanna University and Lycoming College. Former teaching engagements were held at Bucknell University, Mansfield University, and as a sabbatical replacement at Penn State University. During the summers, Mr. Rammon teaches at the Pepperdine Summer Music Program in Heidelberg (Germany), helps lead Susquehanna University’s GO AUSTRIA trip, and is a co-director of the Williamsport Chamber Music Festival.
Mr. Rammon's teachers include Ronald Leonard, Stephen Geber, and Daniel Robert Graf. Past performances with the acclaimed Fitzwilliam String Quartet include the 2016 Bucknell University residency, the Schubert Quintet in February, 2015, and Tchaikovsky’s ‘Souvenir de Florence’ in 2014.
SAMPLERS
HAYDN
Recorded during a live performance, this beautiful theme and variations movement
features the individual voices
of the quartet.
MENDELSSOHN
Please enjoy this passionate excerpt from Mendelssohn's final quartet, written in homage to his sister, and fellow quartet composer, Fanny Mendelssohn.
GLASS
A brief excerpt from the opening of Glass' String Quartet No. 5, showcasing the beauty and accessibility of the classical music of our current time.
Glass Quartet No. 5, 1st Mvt