Lark Quartet

New York's Lark Quartet broadened the nation's string quartet literature across its 34-year span. Among its commissions from leading American creators stood the Pulitzer Prize-winning String Quartet No. 2 ("Musica instrumentalis") by Aaron Jay Kernis.

Cellist Laura Sewell established the ensemble in 1985, recruiting violinists Kay Stern and Robin Mayforth along with violist Anna Kruger. Sewell secured victory in Self magazine's Fresh Start competition, securing funds for the group's initial New York appearance. Membership shifted repeatedly until the 2019 disbandment, when the final roster comprised violinists Deborah Buck and Basia Danilow, violist Kathryn Lockwood, and cellist Caroline Stinson. Yet the ensemble's guiding principle held steady through an unwavering commitment to fresh scores by prominent American voices. Besides Kernis, these composers encompassed William Bolcom, who wrote the song cycle Billy in the Darbies for the Lark Quartet and baritone Stephen Salters; Jennifer Higdon, creator of the piano quintet Scenes from a Poet's Dream; and Peter Schickele, who supplied the String Quartet No. 2 "In Memoriam."

Appearances took the group to major chamber venues such as Carnegie Hall, Washington's Library of Congress, and London's Wigmore Hall. Festival engagements crossed the ocean as well, reaching Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart, suburban Washington's Wolftrap, and Moscow's Beethoven Festival. From 2004 to 2008 the quartet served as ensemble-in-residence at the University of Massachusetts. Its "Lark About Town" community projects earned notice for presenting complimentary family programs and private-house concerts throughout the New York region.

Recordings appeared chiefly on Arabesque and Bridge, covering both contemporary pieces—the 1998 album On a Lark focused on Schickele's music—and landmark 20th-century works, including two discs dedicated to Amy Beach. Prior to closing, the Lark Quartet issued A Farewell Celebration in 2019, spotlighting pieces by John Harbison, Anna Weesner, and Andrew Waggoner.