Aeolus Quartet

Among the leading American string quartets, the Aeolus Quartet includes a strong educational component in its endeavors. The group often champions contemporary music, particularly American works. The Aeolus Quartet was formed by cellist Alan Richardson at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2008. The group was named for the Greek mythological figure who ruled the four winds encountered by Odysseus in the Odyssey epic. The quartet's current members are violinists Nicholas Taviani and Rachel Shapiro, violist Caitlin Lynch, and cellist Jia Kim. The quartet released its debut album, Aeolus Quartet Performs Brahms & Bartók, in 2010. From 2013 to 2015, the Aeolus Quartet was the Graduate Resident String Quartet at the Juilliard School. It was featured on the streaming television miniseries The Defenders.