The New York Times calls the Parker String Quartet “something extraordinary,” The Boston Globe hails its “fiercely committed performances” and The Washington Post declared it “a quartet that deserves close attention.”  With such press accolades, and as a winner of both the Concert Artists Guild International Competition and the Bordeaux Quartet Competition in 2005, audiences are taking note of this dynamic young ensemble.

The Quartet’s 2006-07 season includes stops at Lincoln Center, the Wolf Trap Discovery Series, Merkin Concert Hall, the Jose Iturbi Gold Medal Series, UCLA and Symphony Space’s Thalia Theater as part of CAG’s New Works Series at that venue.  The group also tours Europe in connection with the Bordeaux Competition.  Past highlights include the Ravinia Festival, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Corcoran Gallery, the Phillips Collection and New York’s Schneider Concerts.

Equally at home in a famous concert hall or a downtown club, the Parker Quartet embraces opportunities to bring its music to new ears in non-traditional spaces.  The ensemble performs in bars and clubs all over the east coast, and its performances in these venues have been covered with features in Time Out NY, The Boston Globe and Musical America.com.  In 2007, the group continues on this ground breaking path becoming the first ever String Quartet in Residence at Barbes Bar and Performance Space in Brooklyn.  As part of this residency, the Parker String Quartet performs a series of collaborative concerts with artists of every genre including jazz, folk and world.

Also renowned for traditional residences, the Quartet’s honors include being named the seventh Ernst Stiefel String Quartet in Residence of the Caramoor Center, including a three week long educational residency culminating in performances at the Center.  In addition, the Parker String Quartet has been ensemble-in-residence at the Yellow Barn Music School and Festival.

The Parker Quartet recorded its debut CD in Paris for the Zig Zag label, featuring Bartok’s String Quartets Nos. 2 and 5, which is scheduled for release in winter of 2007. Later in 2007, the ensemble steps back into the studio to record the string quartets of the late György Ligeti for Naxos.

The Parker String Quartet was recently selected for the prestigious Professional String Quartet Training Program at the New England Conservatory of Music, where the group was founded and also where it was selected in 2002 and 2003 as the NEC’s Honors Ensemble.  All of the quartet's members are presently pursuing graduate degrees in performance and chamber music at the New England Conservatory.