$10 Ticket Alert: Dover Quartet — Walton Arts Center

Praised for its "sublime playing" by The New York Times, the Dover Quartet has earned a place among the defining string quartets of its generation. The two-time Grammy®-nominated group brings their unique depth, precision and power to the Walton Arts Center stage on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 pm.

The Dover Quartet's artistic identity is rooted in a living tradition of American quartets, passed directly from one generation of musicians to the next. Formed at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2008 and further shaped by intensive study at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, the quartet takes its name from "Dover Beach" by fellow Curtis alumnus Samuel Barber.

The group is composed of Joel Link (violin), Bryan Lee (violin), Julianne Lee (viola) and Camden Shaw (cello) and is entering its next era with renewed purpose. Following first violinist Joel Link's 2025 appointment as Concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra, where he holds the Blossom-Lee Concertmaster Chair, the quartet reaffirmed its commitment to continuing together in its current configuration and to performing chamber music at the highest level, without compromise.

Across the ensemble, the members' individual careers encompass roles with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Escher Quartet, as well as extensive work in chamber music and teaching. Their individual, distinct musical lives deepen their shared work, and the quartet remains a central artistic commitment for all four musicians.

In 2020, Dover Quartet was named the inaugural Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at Curtis, establishing a new model that brought together teaching, performance and technology. The quartet's members continue to grow their relationship with Curtis as faculty members, helping to pass the traditions that shaped them to a new generation of chamber musicians.

Dover Quartet's performance is part of the 10x10 Arts Series, a collection of 10 shows curated to allow Northwest Arkansas residents to discover new and innovative artistic experiences. The series helps fulfil Walton Arts Center's mission of making the arts more accessible to the broader community with $10 tickets for each show. Don't miss what BBC Music Magazine calls “one of the greatest string quartets of the last 100 years.”

$10 Tickets here!