In the Strauss Black Box Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center
This concert, originally scheduled for July 26, has been rescheduled for October 11. Tickets for the original date are valid for the new date.
Presented by Project String Quartet
Project String Quartet is a premier ensemble known for their exceptional artistry and electrifying live performances. Based in St. Louis, this talented string quartet brings a fresh perspective to both timeless classics and modern hits. Hailing from prestigious institutions like Juilliard and Oxford, each member brings a wealth of talent and experience, creating a powerhouse of musical brilliance.
Their upcoming tribute to David Bowie, "Stardust," promises to be a spectacular showcase of their versatility and virtuosity. With their innovative arrangements and profound musicality, Project String Quartet delivers performances that are both breathtaking and unforgettable. Join them at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center for an evening that celebrates Bowie's legendary music through the lens of classical sophistication.
Rebecca Chung is an accomplished violinist known for her expressive lyricism. She holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from Northwestern University and a Master of Music in violin performance from The Juilliard School. Rebecca has recorded violin on studio albums by major recording artists, including Ariana Grande, Sarah McLachlan, Barry Manilow, Metro Boomin, Melissa Manchester, Andrea Bocelli, and Marvin Hamlisch. As a film and television session violinist, she has performed on numerous soundtrack scores including HOUSE OF CARDS, STAR TREK DISCOVERY, AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., ORVILLE, ONWARD, and the LEAGUE OF LEGENDS video game soundtracks. Her television appearances include on-screen violin performances for NBC’s CHUCK and CBS’s HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Rebecca has also worked as a music consultant providing coaching for Academy Award-nominated actress Catherine Keener’s performance in A LATE QUARTET. Rebecca has also performed in concerts across Europe, South America, and Asia. She currently teaches violin at Washington University in St. Louis, Webster University, and maintains a private studio. Rebecca is the founder and violinist of the St. Louis-based Project String Quartet.
Asako Kuboki began her violin studies at the age of five in Japan. She received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory, studying with Sylvia Rosenberg and Victor Danchenko. Kuboki performed extensively with the New Horizons Chamber Ensemble in Baltimore, a contemporary music group that worked in collaboration with composers, poets, and visual artists, for five seasons. She has also played with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and the Key West Symphony Orchestra.
In 2001 Kuboki joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Since relocating to St. Louis she has continued performing chamber music and solo recitals throughout the U.S., and at international music festivals such as Credomatic International Music Festival in Costa Rica, American Institute for Musical Studies in Austria, and the Pacific Music Festival in her hometown, Sapporo, Japan. Kuboki’s interest in music of many different styles along with her love for chamber music has lead her to collaborate with St. Louis’ innovative jazz, world, pop, and electronica artists to release a number of CDs, and to perform at the Whitaker Jazz Festival, as well as at benefit concerts for nonprofit organizations such as Jazz St. Louis, Play It Forward, and Live Feed. In recent years, she was commissioned to compose and perform the original soundtrack for a HEC-TV documentary film, Wallace Herndon Smith: Artist Without Boundaries.
Amy Greenhalgh studied at Oxford University and went on to postgraduate education at the Royal College of Music. After college, Amy performed chamber and orchestral music throughout Europe with various ensembles including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and recorded for labels such as Decca and Deutsche Grammophon. A founding member of the Symposia String Quartet, Amy toured across Britain, France, and Spain.
Following a European career, Amy moved to Chile, South America, after winning the principal viola position with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago. The role involved leading operas, ballets, and symphony concerts. Additionally, Amy taught at the University Mayor, was violist and arranger of the Ensamble Filarmónico, and served as principal viola of the Chilean-German Chamber Orchestra.
Amy is a skilled arranger, working across various genres. Their arrangements have been performed by groups including the Crystal Palace String Quartet in London and the Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus of Chile. Amy also arranged music for cumbia band and orchestra, and created and designed outreach concerts for the Municipal Theater in Santiago, Chile.
Amy relocated to St. Louis in 2015, is the Director of Strings and Lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis, and regularly substitutes with the St. Louis Symphony. Amy is passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment and has collaborated with local organizations to bring cultural experiences to the community. Amy is a doctoral candidate in higher education leadership at Maryville University.
Shannon Merciel is a cellist and teacher based in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a dynamic performer appearing as an orchestral and chamber musician in the US and abroad. Shannon is a member of the Omaha Symphony and the Muny Orchestra and regularly performs with the Saint Louis Symphony and Sarasota Orchestra. She previously held the principal cello position of the Missouri Symphony’s Firefly Festival from 2019-2023, and was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago in the 21/22 season. During her graduate school years, she performed with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Shannon is the cellist of Trio Doyenne, a piano trio founded in Glasgow in 2017, who appears in concert in the UK and Europe and has been broadcasted on the National Radio of Lithuania. Shannon began fostering her teaching career during her undergraduate years at the University of Missouri-Columbia through the Community Music Program. She went on to mentor students at the Eduardo Ocón Festival for Youth in Málaga in 2018 and was teaching assistant to Edward Arron at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst until 2020. She currently maintains a private studio out of her home in St. Louis. Shannon received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Columbia and Master of Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has been lucky to study with incredible teachers including Darry Dolezal, Alison Wells, and Edward Arron. Shannon plays on a c.1980 cello made by Harry J. Reeve in St. Louis, Missouri.
