Presented by The Perlman Music Program Suncoast, visitors to The Ringling are invited to enjoy a free one-hour classical music concert performed by PMP alumni, the Zota Quartet in the Museum of Art Courtyard. All visitors are welcome to drop by!
The Zota Quartet met in 2023 at the Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop. Its members hail from New York, Florida, Shanghai, and Korea, and have studied at institutions including The Juilliard School, the Yale School of Music, the New England Conservatory, and the Colburn Conservatory. Their numerous individual accolades include top prizes at competitions such as the Hong Kong International Music Competition, Schadt National Competition for Strings, Ysaӱe International Competition, and National Young arts Foundation.
All deeply passionate about chamber music, they have studied at festivals besides PMP such as Ravinia, Music@Menlo, Verbier Festival Academy, and Marlboro. Having been themselves touched by music at early ages, the Zota Quartet is committed to sharing music with the next generation. They had the opportunity to work specifically on educational outreach at the PMP Alumni Retreat in the fall of 2023, presenting programs to children ranging from kindergarten through high school under the guidance of Merry Peckham and Tanya Maggi, dean of Community Engagement at the New England Conservatory.
The Zota Quartet derives its name from the rich history of Sarasota (in its original spelling from the 1700s, Sara-zota). While the exact etymological origins remain up for debate, it is likely that “Zota” was a Native American term used to describe something clear, blue, and beautiful – perhaps Sarasota’s beautiful bay. The Zota Quartet feels that no better word could be used to describe chamber music making. When four people collaborate as a quartet, all of life’s business falls away, and what is left is one clear goal: to celebrate the beauty of great art, and to share it with the audience. The Zota Quartet owes their deepest gratitude to the Perlman Music Program and PMP Suncoast for fostering a magical environment of both exploration and sharing.