Candide Quartet
Formed in 2023, the Candide Quartet consists of violinists Chili Ekman and Henry Rogers, cellist Vanny Hu and violist Amelia Krinke. Entering their third year as an ensemble, the Candide Quartet is committed to exploring the chamber music repertoire and gaining performing experience. Having a shared love for Voltaire’s Candide and its philosophies, the group embodies the sentiments of appreciation for the camaraderie and dedication that it feels are inherent in both the novel and string quartet playing. The quartet’s goal is to cultivate its repertoire and share the fruits of its commitment with all its audiences.
During the summer of 2024, Candide Quartet was the Fellowship String Quartet in Residence at Music in the Vineyards in Napa, and also participated in the Madeline Island Chamber Music in Wisconsin. The quartet had the pleasure of performing alongside faculty at both festivals, and spent time coaching developing high school string quartets. They attended Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival and the PRISMA Quartet Fellowship in the summer of 2025.
The Candide Quartet has been coached and mentored by many esteemed musicians including David Finckel, Daniel Phillips, Paul Neubauer, Samuel Rhodes, Robert Levin, Eugene Drucker, Nicholas Mann, Joseph Lin, Brian Zeger and David Kim. They have also worked with the Miro, American, Calidore, Harlem and the Pacifica Quartets, among others.
The Candide Quartet actively participates in performance and outreach events in New York City and around the country. The quartet has performed with the Dvorak American Heritage Association, and presented a talk entitled “The Brief Evolution of the String Quartet” at various Boys and Girls Clubs and retirement homes in Napa, CA. In 2024, Candide Quartet held a week-long residency at the MacPhail center in Minneapolis, during which they participated in music education outreach programs and community recitals.
During 2025, the Candide Quartet sought many professional engagements, attending the Robert Mann String Quartet Seminar and the Calidore Quartet Seminar at the University of Delaware. The quartet worked with Caroline Shaw, presenting the Juilliard premiere of her work Plan and Elevation at Juilliard’s inaugural Fall Festival, and recently collaborated with Shaw again for the first Juilliard at Zankel Hall concert where they performed Shaw’s Other Song alongside the composer.
