Both groups have performed considerable community outreach. The Anderson and Gotham quartets were selected after competing in a national audition. Members of both groups see their two years at the Shepherd School as a very special opportunity. Juilliard doesn't have anything close to this. Other members of the Shepherd School string faculty, particularly professors Norman Fischer, Kenneth Goldsmith, Sergiu Luca, Karen Ritscher and Kathleen Winkler, are taking an active part in the quartets' development.
Quartets come to the training program at a crucial point in their careers.
This program is for quartets who are at that juncture. They're already accomplished musicians, but they need more time to coalesce. Katz previously worked with the Anderson musicians when they studied at the Eastman School of Music in the early 90's.