On November 10, 2005, Music Around Us featured The Tokai String Quartet in concert. This performance was broadcast on CBC Radio Two Sunday, November 20, 2005.

The Tokai String Quartet is Amanda Goodburn (violin), Czaba Koczo (violin), Yosef Tamir (viola), Rafael Hoekman (cello).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756-1791)
Quartet in D major, K.575 ("Prussian")
i.   Allegretto
ii.  Andante
iii. Menuetto: allegretto

Felix Mendelssohn
(1809-1847)
Quartet in A minor, Op. 13
i.   Adagio - Allegro vivace
ii.  Adagio non lento
iii. Intermezzo. Allegretto con moto
iv. Presto - Adagio non lento

Finale from Mozart's Quartet in D, K.575
REALPLAYER   WINDOWS MEDIA   QUICKTIME
(02:44)

The Tokai String Quartet first appeared in this series, with pianist Marianna Humetska, in their Toronto début one year ago. The quartet was formed in August 2002, and since this time they have made themselves known as one of Canada's rising young ensembles. While its members come from a range of cultural backgrounds - Canada, Russia/Israel, Hungary and South Africa - the quartet strives for musical unity in its explorations of traditional repertoire, as well as works by contemporary composers.

The Tokai Quartet was awarded the Felix Galimir Chamber Music Award at the University of Toronto in 2003, which led to exciting performances in collaboration with Scott St John, Douglas McNabney and, most recently, the St Lawrence Quartet. They have also collaborated with pianist Katherine Chi in a performance broadcast nationally on CBC's "In Performance." In 2004, they were awarded the Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation Award for Young Canadian Chamber Music Ensembles.

The Tokai Quartet was recently distinguished by being chosen to participate in the 8th Banff International String Quartet Competition, which took place in September 2004. They were only the fourth Canadian quartet to ever be accepted into the competition, which was broadcast nationally on CBC.

Following their success at the Banff Competition, the quartet performed a critically acclaimed début concert, organized and produced by the Fred Gaviller Memorial Foundation, at the Jane Mallet Theatre in Toronto in April 2005. The quartet was the faculty quartet in residence at the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute and the Silver Creek Music Festival in August 2005.

Before moving to Canada in the summer of 2001, Amanda Goodburn pursued her studies in both England and South Africa, where she distinguished herself as a critically acclaimed young violinist.

While in England, Amanda led the Goodburn String Quartet, whose performances at the yearly Royal Northern College Chamber Music festivals included the UK première of John Corigliano's String Quartet. As a member of the Strydom/Goodburn piano duo, Amanda performed recitals in northern England and in Bath at the famous 'Pump Room'. Amanda was fortunate in being given the RNCM's Amati violin to perform on for the final year of her studies. During this year, she won the Samro Music Prize in South Africa and the RNCM's Paganini Prize, and achieved a place in the Hallé Orchestra's Professional Experience program, completing Professional Performance and Advanced Performance Diplomas with distinction.

Once her studies in England were complete, Amanda visited Canada, intending only to attend the summer masterclasses at Banff. With three years and a Masters degree from the University of Toronto behind her, Amanda now calls Toronto her home. She was recently awarded a position with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Csaba Koczo was born in Hungary, and started his violin studies in Yugoslavia at the age of eight. In 1990 he moved back to Hungary to study in Budapest at the Bela Bartok Conservatory, and subsequently attained his bachelor's degree with distinction at the Franz Liszt University. He came to Toronto in 1999 to study with Lorand Fenyves and Erika Raum - first at the Glenn Gould School and later, as the recipient of the H. Carter scholarship, graduating from the University of Toronto.

Csaba was a prize winner at the National Violin Competition in Yugoslavia and Hungary, and at the Leo Weiner International Competition. He also won the concerto competition of the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, performing the Beethoven Violin concerto.

Csaba has performed with numerous European chamber groups, including the Sandor Frigyes Chamber Orchestra and the Weiner Quartet. Since moving to Canada, Csaba has performed as a chamber musician or soloist in a variety of concert series in and around Toronto, collaborating with numerous prominent artists. He is also a member of the Seiler Strings Chamber Orchestra and the National Ballet Orchestra.

Yosef Tamir grew up in Moscow, and at the age of 6 he began studying the violin at the Tchaikovsky Institute of Music with Irina Kouznetsova. He subsequently studied violin and viola in Tel Aviv, Montreal and at Indiana University, graduating with an Artist's Diploma. Yosef moved to Toronto to study with Steven Dann at the Glenn Gould School.

Yosef has occupied the position of principal violist with the UBS Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, and I Musici de Montreal. He has performed with some of the world's greatest conductors, including James Levine, Kurt Mazur, and Mstislav Rostropovich, and has enjoyed considerable success in numerous major solo and concerto competitions, such as with the International Chamber Orchestra, the Kuttner International Quartet, and Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Yosef is also a highly sought-after chamber musician and has collaborated with many eminent musicians. In 2003, the St Petersburg Quartet invited him to perform with them during their tour of Mexico. Yosef joined the Tokai String Quartet in October 2003. He is currently co-principal violist with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Philharmonia.

Rafael Hoekman grew up in St. John's, Newfoundland, and began his musical training with his parents at the age of three. He first attracted attention by winning First Prize at the Orford International Competition in 1998. This award led to performances and a CD recording with I Musici de Montreal. In quick succession, Rafael garnered awards and recognition from competitions including the Montreal Symphony Competition, the CBC Young Performers Competition, the CMC Stepping Stones Competition, and the Début Young Artists Competition. Most recently, Rafael won the audience award and the second prize in the Quebec Symphony's Canadian Concerto Competition.

Rafael has appeared in this series before. He has also been featured on CBC's "Take Five" and on several Newfoundland programs. This season he will be playing concertos with the Newfoundland Symphony, Orchestra London, and Sinfonia Toronto, as well as a Jeunesses Musicales Tour of Ontario with pianist Mathieu Gaudet and Clarinetist Jean-Francois Normand.

Rafael studied at the University of Toronto with Shauna Rolston, and in 2002, was awarded a Chalmers Grant from the Ontario Arts Council to pursue his Master's Degree which he completed in May 2004. Principal Cellist of Sinfonia Toronto, and member of Orchestra London, Rafael plays on a 1956 Giuseppe Lucci cello, kindly on loan from the Banff Centre.