Ensemble of the year honors
The Pacifica Quartet, the faculty quartet in residence at the School of Music, has been
recognized as Ensemble of the Year by Musical America. The annual directory and online site —
regarded as the bible of the performing arts industry — hailed Pacifica as "a model string
quartet of the 21st century." The group also received the 2009 Grammy for Best Chamber Music
Performance in February. Since 2004 the players have lived and worked in Urbana-Champaign
and continued their collaborations with the University of Chicago and the Longy School in
Massachusetts. Members of the Pacifica Quartet are (l-r) Masumi Per Rostad, viola;
Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Brandon Vamos, cello; and Simin Ganatra, violin.
View all in the sampling of the articles in the 2008-09 Annual Report.