Hsiao-mei Ku, violin, and Gabriel Richard, violin

Hsiao-mei Ku is Professor of the Practice in the Department of Music at Duke and a member of the Ciompi Quartet. In addition to her worldwide performing career, she has developed research and performing interests related to her own heritage, the Chinese culture. She has led the Ciompi Quartet to perform in China three times: in 1991, to participate in the Festival of the Bicentennial Celebration of Mozart in Beijing, in 2002, on a concert tour of six cities, and in December 2011. Her two solo CDs, Violin and Piano Music by Ma Sicong (I) and (II), were released by Naxos in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Ms. Ku received her Master of Music degree with distinction at the School of Music, Indiana University. Before joining the faculty at Duke, she held the position of Associate Concertmaster of the North Carolina Symphony and was a member of the Carolina Quartet. French violinist Gabriel Richard received the 1st prize in violin while a student at the Lyon Conservatoire. His studies there included chamber music and a contemporary music workshop conducted by Gilbert Amy, in which he appeared in the premieres of many works. A former member of the Orchestre de la Garde Republicaine, Gabriel Richard is now a member of the Orchestre de Paris. He also serves as leader of the orchestra of the National Opera of Lyon. He often plays with the Orchestre des Champs Elysées and the Chapelle Royale under Philippe Herreweghe and the Ensemble baroque de Limoges under Christophe Coin.