Sundays with the St. Lawrence

Hailed by The New Yorker “not simply for the quality of their music-making, exalted as it is, but for the joy they take in the act of connection,” the acclaimed St. Lawrence String Quartet continues its fabled partnership with Stanford. The quartet remains a cultural cornerstone of the University, directing the music department’s Chamber Music Program, concertizing at Stanford Live, hosting a popular summer seminar, and running the Emerging String Quartet Program.

Winner of the prestigious 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Steven Banks is an ambassador for the classical saxophone, establishing himself as both a compelling and charismatic soloist, dedicated to showcasing the vast capabilities of the instrument. As an artist with a commitment to rethinking and expanding the boundaries of classical music, Banks “has the potential to be one of the transformational artists of the twenty-first century” (Seen and Heard International). Banks is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, performance, and newly commissioned works in the classical realm. He spoke at the TEDxNorthwesternU 2017 conference on how to create change in institutionalized prejudices against women and people of color and has written and given guest lectures on the history of black classical composers.