Mill City String Quartet with Benjamin Downs

Mill City String Quartet (MCSQ), an award-winning chamber ensemble based in Minnesota's Twin Cities, has recently garnered significant recognition. They won First Prize at the 2024 Fanny Mendelssohn International Competition (Professional Chamber Music category), Second Prize at the 2024 Charleston International Music Competition, and Third Prize at the 2023 International Clara Schumann Competition. The quartet is dedicated to promoting underrepresented composers and celebrating classical music, and has been MCSQ has been selected six times as Minnesota Public Radio Class Notes artists. Their recent performances include the National Anthem at Target Field for the Minnesota Twins, as well as concerts in Iowa, Florida, and Oregon. The quartet also holds educational residencies and participates in community outreach, performing at venues like Minnesota's all-women’s correctional facility and The Glenn retirement community. Pianist Benjamin Downs, a prize-winning musician with performances across the U.S. and Europe, will join MCSQ. With a DMA from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a PhD from Stony Brook University, Benjamin is also a Fulbright Fellow and accomplished researcher. He currently resides in the Twin Cities, where he performs, teaches, and directs the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Pre-Conservatory Program.