January 26, 2021, 7:30 pm
January 26th, 2021, 7:30pm – SE Recital
The performance will be Live Streamed on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 7:30 pm, on MAS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SOSUMAS
The RADIX Cello Quartet is a newly formed ensemble comprised of cellists: Hasmik Vardanyan, Vyacheslav Dobrushkin, Sonya Matoussova and Hyeok Kwon. Inspired by the cosmopolitan city of Houston and its range of multicultural diversity, RADIX aspires to promote the many different cultures that are found within the quartet. The past season reflected this ideology, performing works by Armenian composer, Komitas, on September 22 at the St. Kevork Armenian Church of Houston, and for the Tallowood Concert Series in their international themed concert, Music: the Universal Language, on October 6. The quartet is also involved in educational outreach, as they are featured in the Moores School of Music’s Tuesday Recital series.
Armenian cellist Hasmik Vardanyan has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in major concert halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, the Paris Opera House, Tchaikovsky Music Hall in Moscow, Berlin Opera House, St. John Smith Square in London and the Munetsugu Hall in Japan. Ms. Vardanyan is a top prizewinner in many national and international competitions. She won the second prize at the Aram Khachaturyan International Cello Competition in 2010. In 2011, she received first prize in Schlern International Cello Competition in Italy. In 2012, Ms. Vardanyan received the Presidential Youth Award for the best performance in classical music. In 2009, Ms. Vardanyan was invited to perform with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra. The same year she won the First Prize in the Komitas International Competition. In addition to her appearances as a soloist and recitalist, Ms. Vardanyan performed regularly as the cellist of the highly-esteemed Komitas National String Quartet of Armenia. 2010 the quartet recorded Miniatures by Komitas-Aslamazyan which received “The Best Classical Album” in the National Music Awards Ceremony. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Houston, where she studies with Vagram Saradjian.
Vyacheslav Dobrushkin, native of Ukraine, has performed in distinguished concert halls throughout North America including Carnegie Hall, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Meyerson Symphony Center, Teatro Hidalgo, Zilkha Hall, Blas Galindo Hall among others. Mr. Dobrushkin took part in the International Music Academy “Winter 2006”, obtaining First Place in the Second National Competition “Petrof-Symphony-Pearl River” for Young Performers. That same year he was invited to perform as a soloist with the National Youth Symphony, in Mexico City. Vyacheslav Dobrushkin has been a member and principal cellist of Texas Medical Center Orchestra since 2011. Performing numerous concerts throughout the orchestra season, and he was featured as a soloist with the same orchestra in 2016. As well as winning First Place in the American Prize (2017) and Second Place “Ernst Bacon Award” of The American Prize (2018). Currently, Mr. Dobrushkin concluded his degree of Performance Certificate at University of Houston under the coordination of Professor Vagram Saradjian.
A native of St. Petersburg, Russia, cellist Sonya Matoussova now resides in Houston, Texas, where she is actively involved in the city’s music scene as both performer and educator. She regularly plays in the cello section of the Mercury Chamber Orchestra and is the assistant principal cellist of the Symphony of Southeast Texas. An avid chamber musician, Ms. Matoussova is a member of the Radix Cello Quartet and the Carya String Quartet. Her passion for chamber music has taken her all over the world, with performances in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Italy, Poland, Romania, the Netherlands, and Armenia. Ms. Matoussova holds degrees from the University of Montreal (class of Yuli Turovsky) and the University of Houston (class of Vagram Saradjian).
Hyeok Kwon has performed internationally in distinguished concert venues including, Carnegie Hall, Seoul Arts Center, and the Kennedy Center. After completing his undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, he continued his graduate studies at Indiana University as an Associate Instructor. Hyeok has performed with internationally acclaimed artists such as, Joshua Bell and Daniel Hope, and has participated in prestigious music festivals including, the Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, and the New York String Orchestra Seminar. He has also had the privilege of performing for President Obama at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration. Hyeok performs with the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera as a substitute cellist, and serves as faculty at the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts and as the Artistic Director of the Tallowood Concert Series.
