Members
Roger Shao, Violin
Born in China, Roger Shao is a violinist who has gained recognition for his expressive artistry and deep passion for chamber music. He began musical training on both piano and violin at age five. In 2013, he received the junior third prize at the Chinese Gold Bell Award Youth Competition, and the second prize at the Hong Kong International Violin Competition in 2017. Between 2013 and 2015, he served as concertmaster of the Hangzhou Youth Orchestra, where he was also featured as soloist in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at the Hangzhou Grand Theatre.
Roger earned his bachelor’s degree at the Mannes School of Music and his master’s degree at the Juilliard School. He has studied with many esteemed violinists, including Daniel Phillps, Masao Kawasaki, Ann Setzer, Ning Feng, Leila Josefowicz, and received chamber music coaching from Daniel Panner, Edna Michell, Samuel Rhodes, Joel Krosnick, Eugene Drucker, Austin Wulliman, Marc Danel, Merry Peckham, Joseph Lin, Natasha Brofsky, Catherine Cho, Aaron Wunsch, Robert McDonald, Shai Wosner, and members of the Borromeo, Jupiter, Cooperstown, Takács, Ébène, Alban Berg, Jerusalem, Cecilia, and Calidore string quartets.
He has performed at Tsingtao International Music Festival, Juilliard ChamberFest, New York String Orchestra Seminar, Taos School of Music, Calidore String Quartet Seminar, the Schiermonnikoog Festival, Juilliard String Quartet Seminar, Music Academy of the West, and Montreal International String Quartet Seminar.
Roger is the first violinist of the Prometheus Quartet, the graduate string quartet at the University of Delaware from 2025 to 2027. They are pursuing their Master of Chamber Music degree under the tutelage of the Calidore String Quartet.
Anthony Chan, Violin
With a repertoire spanning solo, chamber, and orchestra performances, Australian violinist Anthony Chan has performed at the Sydney Opera House and Hamer Hall in Melbourne. He has attended festivals Including the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival, Vivace International Music Festival, and Keshet Eilon Summer Mastercourse Series. He also plays regularly with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Canberra Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra, which he joined on its 2019 international Tour. He has also collaborated in chamber performances with Joshua Bell, Steven Isserlis, Jeremy Denk, and Richard O’Neill. Chan has received chamber music coachings by members of the Borromeo, Pacifica, and Juilliard quartets and mentorship from Merry Peckham, Joseph Lin, and Jerome Löwenthal.
An avid educator, Chan began teaching as a music scholar at Sydney Grammar School, mentoring students in chamber music during his senior year. As a Morse Fellow, he visits public school classrooms in New York on a weekly basis as an artist-educator. Alongside his studies, he maintains a small private studio.
Chan holds a bachelor’s from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Nicholas Kitchen and Ayano Ninomiya and his masters at the Juilliard School studying with Daniel Phillips and Ronald Copes. Currently, he is studying with Ryan Meehan and Jeffrey Myers of the Calidore Quartet.
Brian Jennings, Viola
Born in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Brian Jennings began his musical and viola studies at age 11. As a founding member of the Prometheus Quartet, Brian has performed around the world, including performances at Schiermonikoog, the McGill International String Quartet Academy, the Mariposa Concert Series, and the New Series at The Juilliard School. With Prometheus Quartet, Brian has collaborated with artists such as Jeremy Denk, Andy Akiho, Claire Chase, and Sasha Cooke. Before forming the Quartet, Brian has attended The Taos School of Music, The Aspen Music Festival and School, The Bowdoin International Music Festival, Red Rocks Chamber Music Festival, and Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival.
Brian is passionate about community engagement and music education. During his studies at The Juilliard School, he participated in every community engagement fellowship the school offered, including the Music Advancement Program Viola Fellowship, Morse Teaching Fellowship, and Gluck Fellowship. The teaching fellowships gave Brian the opportunity to connect with and mentor young musicians of The Juilliard PreCollege division and New York City Public School System. The Gluck Fellowship allowed Brian to connect with new audiences in New York City through exciting programming and audience engagement activities.
As a student, Brian has had the privilege to work with musicians Maria Lambros, Michael Kannen, Gerhard Schulz, Richard Oniell, Matthieu Herzog, Mai Motobuchi, Jeffrey Irvine, Matthew Lipman, James Dunham, Che-Yen Chen, Cynthia Phelps, Choong-Jin Chang, and Ben Ullery. Brian received his undergraduate degree in Viola performance from The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with Victoria Chiang and his Masters at The Juilliard School, where he studied with Heidi Castleman and Misha Amory. Currently, Brian is at the University of Delaware with the Prometheus Quartet as the Graduate String Quartet in Residence, where he studies with the Calidore String Quartet.
Wilson Vanderslice, Cello
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Wilson Vanderslice began his musical and cello studies at age 11. He has appeared as a soloist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and played for former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Presidential Library in recent years. During summers, Wilson has attended ThyKammer Musik, AlpenkammerMusik, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Vivace Summer Festival, Keshet Eilon, and Orford Musique among others.
Wilson received his undergraduate degree in Cello Performance and a minor in History from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Guy Johnston and his Masters at The Juilliard School studying with Astrid Schween and Clara Kim. As a member of the NYC-based Prometheus Quartet, Wilson is currently in residence as the University of Delaware Graduate Quartet studying with the Calidore String Quartet. As part of the Prometheus Quartet, he has attended the Schiermonnikoog Festival, McGill International String Quartet Academy, been in residence at the Music Academy of the West, and competed in competitions such as the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Past teachers include Steven Doane, Hannah Roberts, and Stephen Feldman. Masterclass teachers include Frans Helmerson, Claudio Bohorquez, Clive Greensmith, Yeesun Kim, and Johannes Moser. Wilson performs on Paul Martin Siefried Bow that is on generous loan from the Maestro Foundation and 1780 Benjamin Banks Cello.