Top quartet loses violist after just a year
OrchestrasThe Dover Quartet, which positioned itself ‘to take up the mantle of the Emersons’ has suffered a setback with the withdrawal of violist Julianne Lee. She has decided she prefers her old job in the Boston Symphony, where she was assistant principal second violin and principal second violin with the Boston Pops. She joined the quartet in February 2023.
Here’s how Julianne puts it:
I have some bittersweet news to share. This past year with the Dover Quartet has been a wonderful whirlwind of touring, performing, recording, and building friendships. I’ve bonded with Joel, Bryan, and Camden both musically and personally in deeply meaningful ways, and I am incredibly grateful for our time together. I will continue to tour with the Dover Quartet through June 2025. However, being part of one of the world’s most in-demand quartets requires being on the road much of the time, and I’ve realized that this schedule doesn’t align as well with my lifestyle as a position with a home orchestra does. I’ve missed the routine and musical experiences of the Boston Symphony, and I will be returning to the orchestra in July for the Tanglewood season. Until then, I’m excited for this upcoming year with my fellow Dovers. Joel, Bryan, and Camden look forward to auditioning my replacement and announcing my successor in the spring.
The Dover Quartet is resident at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
Another woman leaves the quartet after the previous violist left due to a fight with the first violinist. Perhaps, they should hire a male violist next time to please the bully first violinist.
Julianne’s comments mean that she wants a ‘work/life balance’ and she should be commended for that. What part of that don’t you understand?
You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
I did see on the roster that he is doing a trial for the concertmaster position for our Cleveland Orchestra so this news makes sense. Is the quartet staying or is everyone looking for new jobs? I did hear that the first violinist hates successful women so let’s see how the ladies in our orchestra responds to this news. We should interview the previous violist of the quartet regarding his personality and leadership skills!
Another year…another woman leaving the male filled group just like the woman concertmaster of Berlin Phil leaving for the same reason. I wonder if the work environment is toxic too in the quartet. My chamber music coach said the first violinist got in trouble at Curtis because he called the admin lady a “c u n t” and enjoys to write long disputing emails to people to kill time when not performing.
And what exactly is the reason for the woman concertmaster to leave, please share that with us
Isn’t the first violinist leaving too since he’s auditioning for the Cleveland Orchestra concertmaster? My friend in the orchestra said he’s on the list. But oh boy, he will bring some personal baggage to the orchestra. This will be interesting.
MEEEEOOOOOW. And you all complain about bullying conductors. Jealousy wears many faces it seems.
I see Milena and friends are out in force today…
Yeah it’s unfortunately transparent that it’s the same person posting these malicious comments…in poor taste I might add. looks like a cyberbullying lawsuit just waiting to happen
Hi Joel!
These Curtis kids are so toxic and awful. St. Paul Chamber Orchestra is full of them. One of the young violin ringers there (of course from Curtis) once told me that Stravinsky’s Pulcinella was a piece of crap because “it’s just fake baroque music.” Made me laugh.. on a number of levels.
Lucky BSO!
They need all the help they can get …
She is an extraordinary violinist/violist/musician. Their loss.
“violist Julianne Lee. She has decided she prefers her old job in the Boston Symphony, where she was assistant principal second violin and principal second violin”
Fairly surprised that no one has taken swipes at violists yet
I won’t. Because I like the orchestra, AND those viola players.
It is disappointing that some people will look for intrigue where none exists. Julianne’s leaving the quartet was a difficult decision, made more so because they had a wonderful working relationship and have become close friends through her time with them. Wish her well and leave it at that.
Beside Harold Of Italy, is there any music for a viola?
Google.
In no way is the Dover Quartet any sort of sucessor to the Emerson Quartet. I have heard both groups tens of times and there is a wide gap in talent, capability, tone, agility on the instruments, and most important for the Dover, a lack of insight. Contentious people it sounds like to me.
Yup this first violinist throws around words like ch*** and “widescreen” when discussing a particular group of people
Julieanne has made the right decision….. I know which job I’d rather have (and it’s not the one being holed up for hours and hours of rehearsals with a string quartet.) (So don’t ring me)
Norman, can you check that the same IP address isn’t being used on a number of the disparaging comments? The writing style is so similar on these insults that it makes one think a single individual is trying to manipulate the conversation.
are the insults and “news” true or false? If false, then it should be looked into. If true, then it’s just freedom of speech.
So Malik, or should I call you J Fluye or Clark or Brian K or Pauline or Couperin? You have used all these names to comment on this thread and portrayed yourself as a member of the Cleveland Orchestra, a member of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, someone being coached in chamber music and someone that has a friend in the Cleveland Orchestra. My guess is that you are none of these things. You are asking for the truth, but you yourself have been lying constantly about your status and sources.
For what it’s worth, I looked back in the archives of SD and checked on other Dover articles. Not surprisingly, you pull the same nonsense in those threads as well. Go back and look at the 2/23/23 or 3/9/23 posts if there are any questions and you’ll see the same writing style, same tired rhetoric and a bunch of different names being used.
Pierre is either the first violinist or his brother or their roommate. No one has that much time on their hands to check on other Dover articles and list the dates. Wow, that’s dedication.
Dear Pierrenot, or J Fluye or Clark or Brian K or Pauline or Couperin or Victor W or Malik. You can let me know how you prefer to be addressed. The 2 minutes that it took me to look into the SD archives certainly took less time than it took you to compose all of your posts under different names and coming up with fake musical positions for each of them.
If you bothered carefully reading my initial post, you’ll see that I was not defending either side. I find the practice of manipulating a conversation by posing as a member of musical organizations you have no association with quite unethical. Clearly you have an agenda that you are pushing. I have no dog in this fight and have no personal relations to any members of this quartet.
These comments are very concerning. Is it true or not?
Pierre also sounds like the other side of the so called manipulation! What’s your full name, sir?
Sometimes an entire string quartet can get lost, like the Neudeutscher Streichquartett that, in the seventies, got totally lost in the Black Forest and was never to be seen again, let alone heard.
They specialized in modern music and advertized their concerts with: ‘Music from and in all directions!’
Who can blame her? The Dover Quartet is a caricature of so-called classic modern American quartets (at best Guarneri, at worst —Mr Self-Reliance).
A pleasant violin leadership role in BSo. The luxury of taking a year off to try something new. Bravo to her! Keep an eye out on the viola leader position in years to come.
However, a quartet of three violinists will be hard to sort out.
Women just aren’t cut out for it.