Kennedy String Quartet String Quartet from Washington, DC

The Kennedy String Quartet is one of the most sought after Washington DC based ensembles for wedding ceremony music, corporate events, and parties. The group performs both classical music as well as original arrangements of popular non-classical songs, bringing a level of artistry and professionalism that your guests are sure to notice. Award-winning violinist Alexis Meschter has performed as soloist and chamber musician across the US and in Europe. In recent seasons, he has appeared with such orchestras as the Newark Symphony Orchestra and the Wilmington Community Orchestra and this past summer he was the first prize winner of the LISMA Foundation International Competition on Long Island, NY. Alexis has studied and performed at the Summit Music Festival in Purchase, NY, Casalmaggiore International Music Festival in Italy, and the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute in Washington DC and is currently enrolled at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore where he studies with the renowned Russian violinist and teacher Victor Danchenko. Violinist Shannon Fitzhenry made her solo debut with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra when she Shannon Fitzhenry, violinistwas fourteen years old, and has since performed with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Miami Summer Music Festival Orchestra. She has also won several competitions including the Youth Orchestra of the Lowcountry Concerto Competition, Hilton Head Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, and Miami Summer Music Festival Competition. Recently, Shannon was a featured performer on NPR's Performance Today and is the recipient of the Eda Rubin Term Scholarship at Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. She is co-concertmaster of the Peabody Concert Orchestra as well as a founding member of the Adorno String Quartet. Shannon is pursuing a Bachelor of Music and Violin Performance Degree and studying privately with Herbert Greenberg. Violist Elizabeth Keckeisen, raised in Dallas, has given performances throughout the US, Canada, and Europe that have been recorded DSC_0661for broadcast on NPR. Her extensive chamber music experience includes collaborations with Michael Kannen, Courtney Orlando, Brian Lewis and Hagai Shaham, along with masterclasses with the Emerson, Borromeo, Brentano, and Takacs string quartets. She was selected for the Texas All-State Orchestra in 2012 and in 2013 was awarded second prize in the International Music Conservatory Young Artist Competition. Elizabeth has studied at the Heifetz International Music Institute, the Beethoven Institute at Mannes College, Le Domaine Forget Music Academy in Quebec, The Castleman Quartet Program, and the Smetana Festival in Litomysl, Czech Republic. Elizabeth is currently pursuing her Bachelor Degree at the Peabody Institute studying with Victoria Chiang, and serves as Assistant Principal viola in the Peabody Concert Orchestra. Cellist Najette Abouelhadi performs as an orchestral and chamber musician in the US and abroad including appearances in her native Boston, Baltimore, DC, as well as in Italy, Canada, and Korea. Najette currently serves as Principal Cellist in the Baltimore-based Symphony No. 1 and has also performed as assistant principal cellist in the Peabody Concert Orchestra and Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. Her development as a quartet player has been aided by coachings from some of the top musicians in the field, including the Borromeo, Emerson and Brentano quartets. Najette is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance with Alan Stepansky at the Peabody Conservatory, where she has been awarded the Stephen Kates Memorial Endowed Scholarship. In addition, her devotion to community service has led her to receive Barack Obama's Annual Presidential Community Service Award for four consecutive years.