Ulysses Quartet Becomes GBH Media’s First Quartet in Residence 

As part of the residency, the string quartet will perform a series of free concerts at Boston Public Schools and the Boston Public Library studio

GBH is the largest producer of content for PBS and a partner to NPR and PRX, sharing stories and information with audiences through a range of platforms, including television and radio. 

GBH Music has welcomed the Ulysses Quartet as its first-ever quartet in residence — a season-long partnership that began with free hour-long performances at the Boston Public Schools on November 7, 2023, and an appearance at Boston Public Library on November 8.

Formed in 2015, the Ulysses Quartet comprises violinists Christina Bouey and Rhiannon Barnerdt, violist Colin Brookes, and cellist Grace Ho. They have been major prize winners at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, Schoenfeld International String Competition, and the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition.

The group has given residencies at Louisiana State University and Ithaca College, plus were the Lisa Arnhold Fellows at The Juilliard School from 2019 to 2022, serving as the school’s Graduate Resident String Quartet. Members of the quartet perform on instruments and bows on loan from the Maestro Foundation and private donors.

In their new GBH residency — supported by the Mattina R. Proctor Foundation — the quartet will spend five weeks in a diverse range of Boston Public and Massachusetts schools, and bring their music engagement programs to students across kindergarten to senior year. 

Schools visited will include the Thomas A. Edison K8 School this month; East Boston’s Mario Umana Academy K-8 in January 2024; Dorchester’s Jeremiah E. Burke High School in February; and Jamaica Plain’s The English High School in March. 

The ensemble will also visit public school students at the Springfield Conservatory of the Arts in May 2024, as part of a collaboration with GBH’s sister station, NEPM.

Additional in-studio performances by the Ulysses Quartet will be transformed into broadcasts for WCRB In Concert and recordings for future release. 

In October, the Ulysses Quartet began recording Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 9 in GBH’s Fraser Performance Studio, and will continue this project among beginning others in that space throughout their residency. Recently, they released their new album: “Shades of Romani Folklore.”

“We believe strongly in the power of classical music to educate, entertain and improve society,” said Banerdt. “To be able to work with this remarkable team at GBH is a dream come true.”

“The Ulysses Quartet is a modern radio ensemble bringing all types of listeners into the unparalleled experience of musical artistry at the highest levels,” said Anthony Rudel, general manager of GBH Music. “The partnership is reminiscent of the Golden Age of Radio, when, prohibited from playing recorded music, many radio networks or stations would employ in-house orchestras to perform live for listeners. Today, we are partnering with the Ulysses Quartet to ensure our audiences can access quality live music.”

“I am so excited to partner with GBH Music on this effort,” added Mary Benson Skipper, Boston Public Schools’ superintendent. “Teaming up with GBH Music and the Ulysses Quartet is part of our ongoing commitment to enriching the educational experience of our students. This project builds on our work to provide diverse and inspiring cultural opportunities that extend beyond the classroom and foster a lifelong love of music and the arts.”