The Amadeus Quintet is an ensemble of five 17-year old musicians, all members or alumni of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO).They are Joseph Comella (violin, PA Leadership Charter School, student of Cyrus Forough), Minori Hayakawa (violin, Upper St. Clair High School, student of Ellen-Chen-Livingston), Yosen Wang (viola, North Allegheny Senior High School, student of MarylèneGingras-Roy), Chris Fedor (cello, North Allegheny Senior High School, student of Katya Janpoladyan) and Ariana Chiu (piano, Upper St. Clair High School, student of Natasha Snitkovsky). Coached by Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) violinist Dennis O'Boyle, Amadeus was originally organized as a string quartet in September 2015 under the aegis of the Youth Chamber Connection, managed by the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra. In September 2016, the group, aspiring to a new level of performance, added Dvorák's Piano Quintet No. 2 to their repertoire and invited PYSO pianist Ariana Chiu to join the ensemble.
As a quartet, Amadeus recently placed second in the prestigious The American Prize in Chamber Music, 2016-17 High School Division. Dedicated to promoting chamber music throughout the Pittsburgh community, the ensemble was featured in last season’s Tiffany Concert Series, performed live on local radio shows, provided pre-concert recitals in Pittsburgh's Heinz Hall, and entertained at local museums, including Pittsburgh's Mattress Factory. Amadeus has also appeared in public and private venues, including the Pittsburgh Speakers Series and the Shadyside Splendor – a PSO fundraising event.
The students all agree that the best part of playing chamber music together is the connection they make as an ensemble. There is a certain satisfaction that comes from communicating and responding to each other through music – something a musician doesn't experience when playing solo music. The entire process is enjoyable, whether it's rehearsing or performing. They have learned that hard work is important, but having fun and collaborating is just as important in making great music together.
