On Friday, Jan. 23, the Viano Quartet performed in the Administration Building Auditorium at the University of Idaho. The auditorium was packed, and the performance left the audience in a standing ovation.
They performed four pieces, including String Quartet in D major, Op. 76, No. 5 by Joseph Haydn, String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 44, No. 1 by Felix Mendelssohn, Langsamer Satz by Anton Webern and String Quartet No. 9 in E flat major, Op. 117 by Dmitri Shostakovich.
The quartet consists of Lucy Wang and Hao Zhou on violin, Aiden Kane on viola and Tate Zawadiuk on cello. They formed in Los Angeles in 2015 and have made their way up as an internationally acclaimed group. They have earned awards such as the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2025 and the first prize winner for the 13th Banff International String Quartet Competition. They have played all over the world and are best known for their expression and unity while on stage.
The quartet shares their love of music by working with university’s music programs. They have worked with some of the world’s best music programs, including Northwestern University, Stanford University, Colburn Academy and Duke University. Through the Auditorium Chamber Music Series at UI, they were able to come and work with UI students in masterclasses and perform at UI.
The ACMS works with the university to bring world-class musicians to campus, giving the opportunity for people to listen to high quality classical music live. ACMS brings musicians to workshop with students on campus before their performances, providing insight and inspiration. ACMS started in 1986 and has been providing UI with four concerts every season.
“It’s just an opportunity to hear really high-quality music and, whether or not you have a background in classical music, just getting exposed to things that are pretty high caliber for being in the middle of the Palouse,” said community member Jordan Labayen.
The last concert of the ACMS season will be a performance by the Quartetto Gelato, a quartet known for their variety of music and engaging presence on stage. The concert will be on Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Administration Auditorium. Tickets can be bought online, or at the door with a card. General admission is $25, seniors are $20 and students are $10.
Shelby Sandford can be reached at [email protected]