Faculty

Violinist Ralph Evans, prizewinner in the 1982 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, concertized as soloist throughout Europe and North America before succeeding Leonard Sorkin as first violinist of the Fine Arts Quartet.  Evans, who has been touring worldwide with the Quartet for over forty years, has recorded over 100 solo and chamber works released on over 50 different albums.  His complete discography is listed at: fineartsquartet.com/evansrecordings  Many of these recordings have been selected for Grammy® Awards entry lists in the "Best Classical Album" and/or "Best Chamber Music Performance" categories, and have received a variety of distinctions, among them: "Recording of legendary status" (Gramophone) , "Recording of the Year" (3 times in MusicWeb International);  "Editor's Choice" (Gramophone); BBC Music Magazine "Choice", "Gramophone award-winner", "Critic's Choice" (American Record Guide). The Quartet also received a CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming given jointly by Chamber Music America and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

Evans was graduated cum laude from Yale University with multiple honors. While a Fulbright Scholar in London, he studied with Szymon Goldberg and Nathan Milstein, and subsequently won the top prize in a number of major American competitions including the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York. Films of his prize winning performances of the Tchaikovsky Concerto and Bartok Concerto No.2 in the International Tchaikovsky Competition are viewable on YouTube.

Evans has also received international recognition for his work as a composer. His award winning composition “Nocturne” has been performed on American Public Television and his String Quartet No 1, released on Naxos 8.559354, has been warmly greeted in the press (“rich and inventive” – Toronto Star; “whimsical and clever, engaging and amusing” – All Music Guide; “vigorous and tuneful” – Montreal Gazette; “seductive, modern sonorities” – France Ouest; “a small masterpiece” – Gli Amici della Musica).

Currently Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at the New School University's Mannes College of Music in New York, Evans has also been guest professor at the Paris Conservatory, Lyon Conservatory, Peabody Institute, Yale University, Indiana University, London Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, and has been a jury member of the Bordeaux and Evian Competitions, among many others.

• Discography and Video
• Naxos interview w/ Jeremy Siepmann
• Naxos interview w/ Stephen Schafer