Eybler Quartet Group Biography
The Eybler Quartet came together in late 2004 to explore the works of the first century of the
string quartet, with a healthy attention to lesser known composers such as their namesake, Joseph
Leopold Edler von Eybler. The group plays on instruments appropriate to the period of the music
it performs. In its brief but busy existence, the Toronto-based ensemble has consistently garnered
praise for their “glowing and committed”, “spirited” and “lively and energizing” live
performances.
Violinists Julia Wedman and Aisslinn Nosky, and violist Patrick G. Jordan, are all members of
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; Julia and Aisslinn are also members of I FURIOSI Baroque
Ensemble. ‘Cellist Margaret Gay is much in demand as both a modern and period instrument
player.
The group brings a unique combination of talents and skills: years of collective experience as
chamber musicians, technical prowess, experience in period instrument performance and an
unquenchable passion for the repertoire. The group’s premiere recording of Eybler’s Opus 1 is
also the world premiere recording of these pieces.
Eybler Quartet Individual Performers’ Biographies
Violinist Aisslinn Nosky, a native of Nanaimo B.C., is a performer in great demand in both the
classical and early music worlds. From 1993-99, she was a member of the Metro String Quartet
and with the quartet performed recitals across Canada and in Europe. Aisslinn is currently a
member of I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble, the Aradia Ensemble, the Bach Consort, and the Kirby
String Quartet. Since 2002 Aisslinn has served as Assistant Principal second violin of the
Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and, in the Autumn of 2005 she will be joining Tafelmusik
Baroque Orchestra.
Violinist Julia Wedman brings an "infectious vitality" to music (Victoria Times Colonist). She is
often praised for the freshness of her interpretation and her strong emotional connection to
music. With a life long passion for chamber music, she formed her first serious string quartet at
age 15. Studies at the University of Western Ontario, the University of Toronto and Indiana
University at Bloomington nourished her musically and academically and in her search for
musical understanding, led her to a passion for historically informed, period performance. One
critic offered that she "likes to play all music as if were written yesterday".
Julia is a member and programming co-ordinator of the innovative young Baroque group I
Furiosi, deemed "hip and madly entertaining" by the National Post. She is also a member of the
newly formed Kirby String Quartet, playing everything from Haydn to John Zorn.. Most recently
she joined the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, one of the world's premiere baroque orchestras.
Over the past few years, Julia has performed in Toronto with the Canadian Opera Company, the
National Ballet Company, the Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Consort and Aradia
Baroque Ensemble, with whom she has recorded over 15 CDs for the Naxos Label. In the
summers she performs at Grand River Baroque Festival, Festival of the Sound in Parry Sound,
the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Domaine Forget Music Festival in Quebec and the Klang
und Raum festival in Irsee, Germany.
Margaret Gay
After completing a Bachelor of Music degree at Boston University School for the Arts, Margaret
Gay accepted an invitation to the Banff Centre for Fine Arts, where she completed the winter
programme. From there she moved to Toronto, where she earned a Master’s degree at the
University of Toronto and began a remarkably active freelance career performing on both
modern and period ‘cello. Margaret performs regularly with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, the
Toronto Symphony, Opera Atelier, Mississauga Sinfonia, Baroque Music Beside The Grange,
the Baroque Players of Hamilton, and Ensemble Polaris, a group exploring the traditional music
of various Nordic countries. She is Artistic Director of The Gallery Players of Niagara, an
organization based in the Niagara Region that presents chamber music. She was for many years a
member of Modern Quartet, a string quartet dedicated to the performance of new works, the
Burdocks, a foursome specializing in works of the 20th century, and Critical Band. In the
summers she has performed at the Stratford, Elora, Parry Sound, Grand River Baroque, and
Lameque Baroque Music festivals, as well as teaching ‘cello and coaching chamber music at the
Toronto Board of Education Music Camp, and the University of New Brunswick Summer Music
Camp. Margaret can be heard on numerous CD’s, including a recent release from Ensemble
Polaris, Not Much Is Worse Than A Troll, a Hungaroton disc of 17th century English theatre
music, Ah! How Sweet It Is To Love, O Bali, from New Music Concerts, and, A Curious
Collection for the Common Flute.
Patrick Jordan, a native of West Texas, studied with Susan Schoenfeld before moving to Boston
in 1981 to study with Walter Trampler. Mr. Jordan holds a Bachelor's degree from the New
England Conservatory and an Artist's Diploma in Chamber Music from the Longy School, where
he began several years' study with Eugene Lehner. Now a resident of Toronto, Mr. Jordan is a
member of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra with which he tours throughout Canada, the United
States, Mexico, Asia and Europe. He is also the Artistic Administrator and violist with the
Gallery Players of Niagara. He has been a member of the Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra
since 1997 and has appeared with the New York Collegium as well as the American Classical
Soloists. While living in Boston, he performed regularly with D.C. Hall's Band (a recreation of a
19th-century dance and concert band), the van Swieten Quartet, a period instrument string
quartet, and the Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra. He was a member of the Boston Quartet, a
modern instrument string quartet, and the Really Eclectic String Quartet (RESQ), a group that
explored popular dance and lyrical music from many cultures. From 1988 to 1993 he was
Lecturer in Violin and Viola at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA; he is currently
on the faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He has recorded for Sony, Sony
Classical, Dorian, Newport Classic, NorthStar, Analekta and Northeastern.