For the second consecutive year, the orchestral students of North Babylon will participate in an artist residency with the winners of the Guarneri String Quartet Award, the Daedalus Quartet.  North Babylon music students are fortunate to have these Long Island natives work with them for three days of intense musical interaction beginning on Septenber 25th. Lauded by the New York Times for their “imaginative phrasing and dynamics,” this group will share their musical tips and techniques with district children grades 4-12.  Fresh off successful performances at this summer's Mostly Mozart Festival in Lincoln Center, Daedalus is the Quartet-in-Residence at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. They will embark upon a European tour in November, 2008.

    "We are so grateful to these fantastic musicians for sharing their time and talent with our community," says Program Director Kim Lowenborg Coyne.  Last year, over 350 students enjoyed having the Quartet sit in and play alongside them in groups, as well as having the Quartet perform the students' Spring Concert selections.  During the question and answer periods, students asked everything from "How long do you practice?" to "What's on your IPod?"

    The Daedalus Quartet consists of Violinists Kyu-Young Kim and Min-Young Kim, Violist Jessica Thompson, and Cellist Raman Ramakrishnan. Formed in the year 2000, they were the Grand Prize Winners of the 2001 Banff International String Quartet Competition. Daedalus has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan. They were nominated by Carnegie Hall for the European concert Hall Organization Rising Stars Series, which led to debuts throughout Europe and at Carnegie Hall in the 2004-05 season. The Quartet was selected by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to be the resident quartet of Chamber Music Society Two for the 2005-06 and the 2006-07 seasons.  Last season they were also in residence at Columbia University and served as visiting artists at the University of Pennsylvania. The Daedalus Quartet’s  debut CD, works of Ravel, Sibelius, and Stravinsky, was released in August 2006 by Bridge Records.