Annex String Quartet

The Annex String Quartet, also known as The Annex Quartet, is a string quartet founded in 2008 by violist Yunior Lopez in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Named after The Annex neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, the quartet began performing regularly in Toronto's bars, coffee shops, and non-classical venues like Aroma Espresso Bar and the St. Lawrence Market. In 2010, they made their American debut alongside the Kronos Quartet at Carnegie Hall,^{[citation needed]} and have since appeared in over 100 performances, recordings, and broadcasts.^[1]

Annex String Quartet
The Annex String Quartet performing in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto.
Background information
Also known as	The Annex Quartet
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Classical, World, Contemporary Classical
Occupation	String quartet
Instrument(s)	2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello
Years active	2008–present
Members	Stanislav Pronin Carolyn Blackwell Yunior Lopez Peter Cosbey
Past members	Melissa Wilmot Teddy Wiggins
Website	www.annexquartet.com

The group's focus has been on bridging the gap between classical and world music. They have performed and recorded in various musical styles, and continue to work with a diverse range of artists including classical pianist Jan Lisiecki,^[2] Cuban jazz pianist Hilario Durán,^[3] and Canadian jazz icon Jane Bunnett.

In June 2013, the Annex Quartet released their official debut album, The Roaring Twenties. In 2014, the group was to record a Cuban tour with Cuban Bolero singer Anais Abreu, but the concerts were cancelled.^[4][5] In 2019, the quartet released its second album, Latinoamericana.

The quartet was the ensemble-in-residence at Toronto's Midtown Music School^{[citation needed]} and The Stratford Summer Music Festival^{[citation needed]}. As of 2021, Lopez is with The Young Artists Orchestra of Las Vegas, which he founded in 2015. Blackwell is part of the Art of Time Ensemble, Cosbey is a member of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and Pronin performs and records independently.

Members

• Stanislav Pronin, violin
• Carolyn Blackwell, violin
• Yunior Lopez, viola
• Peter Cosbey, cello

Albums

• The Roaring Twenties (2013) Modica Music Records^[6]
• Latinoamericana (2019)

Other Recordings/Film

• The Captive - Atom Egoyan (2014)^[7]
• Maqueque - Jane Bunnett and Maqueque (2014) Justin Time Records^[8]
• Folktales - Joanna Chapman-Smith, David Stone, and The Annex Quartet (2015)^{[citation needed]}