Innovative string quartet returns with program of world and New York premieres
The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) will host the internationally acclaimed JACK Quartet for a concert featuring world and New York premieres on Friday, March 20, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in Buttenwieser Hall at The Arnhold Center.
Tickets for the performance start at $45 for in-person attendance and $25 for livestream access.
The event highlights the ensemble’s ongoing commitment to contemporary music, presenting a program composed entirely of new works. The quartet — violinists Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman, violist John Pickford Richards, and cellist Jay Campbell — returns to 92NY with music developed through their JACK Studio initiative, which supports and commissions emerging composers.
JACK Quartet continues to lead as one of the most innovative voices in new music, offering a program comprised of entirely World and New York premieres on March 20.
The performance program includes the world premiere of A Selection of Colors by Tristan Perich, a 92NY co-commission. Also scheduled is the New York premiere of Future Mode 1 by Keir Gogwilt, along with two additional world premieres: Shadow Symmetric by Jules Reidy and New Paintings by Ailie Ormston.
The concert reflects the ensemble’s broader mission to expand the modern string quartet repertoire while building a global community around contemporary music.
JACK Quartet enters their third decade as a pioneering string quartet synchronized in their mission to create an international community through transformative, mind-broadening experiences and close listening.
Founded with a focus on new music, the quartet has earned international recognition for its interpretations of contemporary compositions and collaborations with leading composers. Over the years, JACK Quartet has both commissioned and premiered works by influential figures in modern music.
The ensemble has collaborated with composers such as Philip Glass, Georg Friedrich Haas, Liza Lim, Caroline Shaw and John Zorn. Upcoming and recent premieres include works by John Luther Adams, Ellen Fullman, Catherine Lamb, George Lewis, Andrew Norman, Terry Riley, Gabriella Smith and Tyshawn Sorey.
The group’s efforts to nurture emerging composers are largely carried out through JACK Studio, a program established in 2019. The initiative provides commissions for string quartet works by prominent composers, two-year paid residencies for emerging composers, and annual reading sessions of existing quartets by new composers.
Since its launch, JACK Studio has supported more than 40 composers through its programs.
JACK Quartet has also earned numerous honors for its contributions to contemporary music. The ensemble has been nominated for two GRAMMY® Awards and has received several prestigious recognitions, including the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Fromm Music Foundation Prize, Musical America’s 2019 “Ensemble of the Year” Award and New Music USA’s Trailblazer Award.
Beyond awards, the quartet has built a reputation through performances at major venues and festivals around the world. Their appearances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Library of Congress in the United States, as well as internationally recognized venues such as Berlin Philharmonie in Germany, the BBC Proms in the United Kingdom, Philharmonie de Paris in France, the Salzburg Festival in Switzerland, La Biennale di Venezia in Italy and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Additional performances have taken place at Suntory Hall in Japan, the Bali Arts Festival in Indonesia, Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico and Teatro Colón in Argentina.
The ensemble is based in New York City, where it serves as Quartet-in-Residence at the Mannes School of Music at The New School. Through performances, educational initiatives and commissioning projects, the group continues to promote contemporary classical music and support the development of new composers.
The upcoming 92NY performance represents another step in that mission, showcasing new works and offering audiences the opportunity to experience premieres by emerging voices in the field.
The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a world-class center for the arts and innovation, a convener of ideas, and an incubator for creativity. 92NY offers extensive classes, courses and events online including live concerts, talks and master classes; fitness classes for all ages; 250+ art classes, and parenting workshops for new moms and dads. The 92nd Street Y, New York is transforming the way people share ideas and translate them into action all over the world. All of 92NY’s programming is built on a foundation of Jewish values, including the capacity of civil dialogue to change minds; the potential of education and the arts to change lives; and a commitment to welcoming and serving people of all ages, races, religions, and ethnicities. For more information, visit www.92NY.org.