The Quartet
Jorge Ávila
Hailed as a strong violinist by The New York Times, Lich Gate Concerts’ Artistic Director JORGE ÁVILA has won attention as an outstanding soloist, recitalist, Concertmaster, and chamber musician. Honduran-born and a recipient of many awards and honors, Jorge received his green card under the “Extraordinary talent” category, later becoming a U.S. citizen. He was awarded First Prize at the 2001 Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Competition and the “Omar del Carlo” Fellowship at The Tanglewood Music Center. Jorge is the Concertmaster of the Ridgefield Symphony, Distinguished Concerts International New York, and Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series. He has appeared as Concertmaster with the Stamford, Westfield, and Greenwich Symphonies, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Long Island Masterworks, Grace Church Choral Society, and The Tanglewood Music Center. His concerto highlights include recent performances of the Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev No. 1, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Beethoven concerti, as well as Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with David Finckel and Wu Han. In 2008, Jorge appeared as Concertmaster for His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, in Yankee Stadium, and in 2015, for His Holiness, Pope Francis, in Madison Square Garden. Jorge’s solo debut CD of Spanish violin and piano sonatas can be found on the Centaur label.
Rachel Handman
The virtuosity and improvisational ability of violinist RACHEL HANDMAN appears in many musical forms, including Classical, bluegrass, Irish, pop, and folk. Broadway credits include Dr. Zhivago, Something Rotten!, Miss Saigon, Carousel, and West Side Story. A long-standing member of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, she is also Associate Concertmaster of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. She has toured Mexico with Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, and Germany with the shows My Fair Lady and On the Town. Rachel lived in La Paz, Bolivia, and played with the National Symphony of Bolivia, concertized with a string quartet, and eventually joined a Salsa band named Guapacha!
Returning to the U.S., Rachel began perusing different folk and fiddle styles. Her band, Uncommon Ground, has performed at the Doc Watson Festival, Carolina in the Fall, and Winter-Hawk Festival. Rachel has performed with Natalie Merchant, Norm Lewis, Jennifer Hudson, Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, and the legendary Ray Charles. She is a Resident Visiting Artist at Music at Port Milford Chamber Music Festival in Milford, Ontario.
Sarah Hewitt-Roth
Praised for her “golden, beautifully singing” playing (Opera News), cellist SARAH HEWITT-ROTH has talents that span a wide musical spectrum. As a chamber musician, Sarah has toured throughout Europe and the United States, performing with Philharmonia Virtuosi and The New York Chamber Soloists. She is currently a member of the New York Pops Orchestra and is a regular performer at Carnegie Hall as Assistant Principal Cellist of the New York City Chamber Orchestra. A frequent Broadway collaborator, Sarah has held cello chairs in thirteen shows on Broadway and is currently performing in the lush Lincoln Center production of ‘Camelot’.
She has shared a stage with artists as diverse as Joshua Bell, Beyoncé and Joni Mitchell and has appeared on The Today Show, Late Show with David Letterman, and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Sarah has performed in ‘Live From Lincoln Center’ broadcasts and, among her other recording work, appears on albums with Tony Bennett, K.D.Lang, Antony and the Johnsons, Audra McDonald and with jazz legend Ruby Braff. She has been the cellist on two Grammy Award winning albums, 'A Wonderful World' with Tony Bennett and on the original cast album of "Hairspray, the Musical".
When not playing the cello, she enjoys drawing things. Her most recent illustrations are published in the cookbook ‘Musician’s Cook!’ https://www.musicianscook.com/
Orlando Wells
Violist ORLANDO WELLS attended the State University of New York/Purchase as a double major on violin and viola, where his primary teachers were Yuval Waldman and Emmanuel Vardi. He continued his studies at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Jersey, studying with Michael Tree. Among the many ensembles with which Orlando has played are the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra, Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra, Musica Sacra, New York Oratorio Society, Antara Chamber Orchestra, & the Ritz Chamber Players in Jacksonville, Florida. He has appeared as soloist with Manhattan Virtuosi, the Harlem Symphony, & Antara Chamber Orchestra. He has performed and recorded with such esteemed artists as Mariah Carey, John Legend, Rihanna, Harry Connick Jr., Dionne Warwick, and Elvis Costello, among others. He has performed with many of the greatest shows on Broadway, most currently as Concertmaster of Ain’t Too Proud. He is Principal Violist of the New York Pops Orchestra and violist of the critically acclaimed Sweet Plantain String Quartet.