Edgy. Invigorated. Chamber. [slash] Calidore String Quartet

Miraculous yet grounded, revelatory yet approachable. What happens when the evolved musicianship of four old souls joins the emotional turbulence of four young artists? Say hello to the Calidore String Quartet. Hailing from sun-drenched southern California, the talents of Jeffrey Myers (violin), Ryan Meehan (violin), Jeremy Berry (viola), and Estelle Choi (cello) collided at LA's Colburn Conservatory just five years ago. By 2012 they'd taken top prizes in virtually all major American chamber music competitions - including the Fischoff, Coleman, Chesapeake, and Yellow Springs - and abroad, at the ARD Munich International and Hamburg International.

"...a group without perceivable limitations." - David Finckel, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Their well-developed craft is, of course, a major selling point - the Calidores are lauded for their precise yet explosive lyricism and have been compared to chamber powerhouse the Emerson String Quartet - but it's their unmistakable youth and comfort among student musicians that's garnering attention lately. Currently in residence at Stony Brook University and serving as Caramoor's 2014-15 Ernst Stiefel Quartet-in-Residence, the Calidores are making as many waves in regional classrooms as they are on national and international stages. "When I am lucky enough to sneak in alongside our Quartet-in-Residence to the schools served by our Student Strings program, it becomes very clear how valuable our middle and high schoolers find this kind of education," says Ellie Gisler, Caramoor's Manager of Artistic Planning. "It is striking, but perhaps not so surprising how easily youth of all ages understand Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms ... even Hindemith. These pieces are born of intense human emotion written by complicated and tortured composers, brought into regional schools by hip, professional musicians barely 10 years older than the students they are working with. As a teenager, what's not to love?" Catch the Calidores in their second Caramoor appearance in March with a program that explores the profound impact of World War I on music and composers' lives. Watch them bring Schubert to life on a helipad. Read about their upcoming album release. Learn about the group that's approaching music education with skill and style.   More from this series: Meet the Folksingers (Part 1)  / Exploring American Favorites / Different Strokes for Friendly Folks /  Meet the Folksingers (Part 2)