Founded by the Sphinx Organization in 2006, the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet is world-renowned for its fresh and exciting takes on music for string quartet.
This week, the quartet returns to northern Michigan to work with students at Interlochen Arts Academy and present a public recital at City Opera House.
Violinists Ilmar Gavilán and Melissa White, violist Jaime Amador and cellist Felix Umansky visited IPR's Studio A to perform and talk about their current projects.

Melissa White is the quartet's second violinist as well as an Interlochen Arts Academy graduate.
She says that current Interlochen students have a lot of questions for them, particularly about how they "fit" musically and professionally.
"They have larger questions about how they fit into society and the industry," White explained. "They wonder, 'Will I get to keep my voice?' and 'If I keep my voice, will it still be heard in a way that I can make a living?'"
White also said that, although the Harlem Quartet has had international residencies and played for people including President Obama and Itzhak Perlman, there are still new audiences they want to reach.
"We always talk about how we've been to 48 of the 50 states - we're only missing the Dakotas," White said. "If anyone out there can get us concerts in the Dakotas, we'd love to go there."
They've also been to every continent except Australia.
Aussies and Dakotans, take note.
Hear the Harlem Quartet in recital at Traverse City's City Opera House on Wednesday, January 29 at 7 p.m. The program will include music of Guido López-Gavilán, Fanny Mendelssohn, Caroline Shaw and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Music performed in Studio A
Fanny Mendelssohn, String Quartet in E-flat major: III. Romanze
Guido López-Gavilán, Cuarteto en Guaguancó
Michael Culler engineered this edition of Studio A.
Scott Clemens is Classical IPR's digital content producer. Christine Roberts and Karin Willman provided additional support.