JAMS String Quartet to Carnegie Hall

The JAMS String quartet was founded in July of 2018 in Amarillo, Texas. Today, they consist of first violinist Josenir Junior (graduate student in music performance), second violinist Sydney Buckner (animal science, pre-veterinary major), violist Jasmin Caldera (health science, pre-dental major), and cellist Anna Ng (biology major). They have a combined 50 years of music experience. The members of JAMS have participated in the Amarillo Symphony, Chamber Music Amarillo, Amarillo Opera, West Texas A&M Opera, Texas State UIL competition, and Ensemble Next. Currently, they study at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas and are members of the West Texas A&M Symphony under the direction of Dr. Mark Bartley. JAMS has worked with Evgeny Zvonnikov, Dr. Douglas Storey, and Dr. Gary Garner. Individually, members of the quartet study with Evgeny Zvonnikov, Vesselin Todorov, and Emmanuel Lopez.

In the fall of 2022, JAMS competed in the American Protégé Competition of Romantic Era Music and won first prize. With this honor comes an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This recital will be May 27th, 2023.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the JAMS String Quartet to represent WTAMU and the Canyon/Amarillo area. However, it costs quite a bit to get a quartet from Canyon, TX to New York City. With flights, hotels, food, transportation, and incidentals, this trip comes with a rather large price tag and the competition does not cover travel costs. $4000 is the minimum we need to cover our travel expenses. Any additional funds raised will be put towards participation in masterclasses and summer festivals.

We appreciate in advance your generosity. This performance would not be possible without the help of the community.