ABOUT

The Sullivan String Quartet (formerly Quartet 131) brings together Regi Papa and Laura Jean Goldberg, violins, Andy Lin, viola, and Robert La Rue, cello. Each member of the ensemble has a wide ranging and impressive career in the chamber music scene. The Sullivan Quartet has performed recitals at Bohemian National Hall, Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, the Arion Chamber Music Series, Bargemusic in NYC, and at "Music at the Museum" in Bennington, VT. The quartet's inclusive multicultural approach gives a place of honor to repertoire by women composers, African American, Hispanic, and Asian composers, as well as the traditional string quartet repertoire.

The Sullivan String Quartet, is named after Louis H. Sullivan, the trailblazing American architect. Sullivan was both a modernist and someone who had great respect for historical art and design. He created buildings with innovative steel frame construction while simultaneously adding grace to these designs with ornamentation inspired by the Art Nouveau, Pre-Raphaelite, and Arts and Crafts movements.

Regi Papa, violin I

Greco-Albanian violinist Regi Papa has been hailed as “an exciting young violinist with brilliant technique and an excellent sense of style” (The Strad Magazine). He has performed as soloist in Carnegie Hall, and with orchestras in Greece and Romania. As an avid chamber musician, Papa has performed extensively in major concert halls throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. He is a founding member of the Olympus Piano Trio, which released their debut album on LP Classics label in 2017. Papa performed as guest artist at the Malaga Classica Chamber Music Festival in Spain, Chamber Fest in Albania, and the International Academy of Music in Italy. A noted pedagogue, he has held residencies at Northern Michigan State University and the Shenandoah University. Papa is currently on the faculty of the Chamber Music Institute for Young Musicians in Stamford, CT. He is also a member of critically acclaimed ensembles such as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and The Knights. Papa completed his B.M. degree at Manhattan School of Music, the M.M. degree at The Juilliard School, and the D.M.A. at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has recorded for LP Classics, Navona/Naxos and Sony Classical labels.

Laura Jean Goldberg, violin, is a seasoned chamber musician, solo artist and teacher. A graduate of The Juilliard School, she performed as soloist with the BSO and is a member of the Chamber Music Faculty at The Juilliard School pre-college division. As a founding member of the Cassatt Quartet, Goldberg was a prizewinner at Banff, Coleman, and Fischoff competitions, held residencies at Juilliard, Yale, Tanglewood, Caramoor, and performed internationally. She performs as second violinist with the Sullivan String Quartet and has worked with leading composers including Henri Dutilleux, David Diamond, George Crumb, and Julia Wolfe. Goldberg teaches at Belvoir Terrace, a summer camp empowering young women through the arts, and is the founder of ArtsAhimsa Music for Peace, a concert organization and chamber music festival in Lenox where amateur and professional musicians play together in a supportive community setting. She is a board member of the Dvorak American Heritage Association.

Laura Jean Goldberg, violin II

Andy Lin, viola

Taiwanese-American violist and erhuist, Andy Lin, is recognized as the only active performer who specialized in both western and eastern instruments. Praised by The Strad “The great Molto adagio.....elicited some of the night’s most sensitive work, especially from Andy Lin on viola.” and New York Times “Taiwanese-born violist Andy Lin.....is also a virtuoso on the erhu, and he gave a brilliant performance.” Andy is a member of the Sullivan String Quartet and the artistic director and co-founder of the New Asia Chamber Music Society. He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Busan Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Incheon Philharmonic, The Juilliard Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Orford Academy Orchestra and Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra. Andy is also the co-founder and artistic director of the New Asia Chamber Music Society and serves as principal violist of the New york Classical Players and Solisti Ensemble.

Robert La Rue, cello, was First Prize Winner of the National Society of Arts and Letters Cello Competition, whose jury chairman was Mstislav Rostropovich. Formerly the cellist of the New England String Quartet, Robert is a current member of the Sullivan String Quartet, the Alcott Trio, and the cello ensemble VC3. He plays regularly with the Phoenix Chamber Players at Manhattan’s Center for Jewish History, and has also been a guest of the Locrian Chamber Players and the Alaria Ensemble. He has performed as soloist with the Banff Festival Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra and orchestras in Seattle, Phoenix and Denver. He has served as visiting faculty at Yale University’s Summer Music School and has taught cello at Rutgers University. He has recorded for Arsis Audio and North Branch Records, and is currently completing a disc of works for solo cello by members of the American Composers Alliance. A graduate of Curtis, New England Conservatory, and Juilliard, he also attended Indiana University. His teachers included include David Soyer, Bernard Greenhouse, Janos Starker and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi.