David Ying is cellist of the Grammy award winning Ying Quartet. With the group he has performed widely, in traditional venues from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. In addition, the quartet’s interest in making music a part of everyday life has led to performances in schools, hospitals, restaurants, correctional facilities and the White House. From its earliest years in an NEA residency in Jesup, IA, the quartet has explored every opportunity to share music, and sought to communicate music’s expression of shared humanity.
The quartet also shares music through its recording activities. The Ying Quartet’s recording projects range from standard string quartet repertoire to its Lifemusic commissions to unusual collaborations with distinguished artists. Its recording of the Tchaikovsky Quartets was nominated for a Grammy award and a collaboration with the Turtle Island Quartet won a Grammy. In addition three volumes of their LifeMusic commissions have received praise including an Editor’s Choice commendation from Gramophone magazine.
Apart from the Ying Quartet, David in his younger days was a prizewinner in both the Naumburg International Cello competition and the Washington International Competition. In addition to performances with orchestra, he has played numerous recitals with pianist Elinor Freer, also his wife. In addition to concertizing together, for ten years they also were artistic directors of the Skaneateles Festival. The Festival received an ASCAP award for adventurous programming as well as the CMA Acclaim award during these years. David is presently co-artistic director of the Bowdoin International Music Festival.
As a faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, David enjoys working with cellists and chamber music groups. His students and former students include members of orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and the Utah Symphony, teachers, string quartet players, lawyers, and the cellist Alisa Weilerstein. David is a proud resident of Rochester NY, working at Eastman and making his home with Elinor and their children Alina and Nathaniel.
