Meet Us
Bio
The Stratus String Quartet was officially established in January, 2025 and is the undergraduate string quartet in residence at East Carolina University. Right away, they began to accept performance opportunities including two world premiere performances within the first three months of playing as a quartet. Committed to providing a diverse platform of music, the quartet chose to highlight Antonín Dvořák as their first main composer of focus in the classical realm. They will be performing their first formal concert in Fall 2025, and the program will be all-Dvořák.
Gabriel Bravo
Gabriel is a passionate violinist whose musical journey began at the age of seven. Immersed in the world of classical music from a young age, he joined El Sistema, a transformative program that led to performances with the National Venezuelan Youth Orchestra across his home country and in Europe. Under the guidance of great maestros, including the renowned Gustavo Dudamel, Gabriel’s love and passion for music deepened, shaping a musical experience that would define his entire career.
Gabriel further honed his craft at the Vicente Emilio Sojo Conservatory of Music and the Simón Bolívar Conservatory of Music in Caracas, Venezuela, studying under esteemed professors such as Eddy Marcano, Jose Francisco del Castillo, Sergio Celis, Francisco Diaz, Jesus Sira, Brian Reagin, and others. Currently, he is studying under the mentorship of Hye-Jin Kim and Ara Gregorian, continuing to refine his artistry and dedication to classical music.
Currently, Gabriel is a member of the Durham Symphony, the ECU Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with numerous orchestras around the Triangle area, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to the art of music. With a heart full of inspiration and a commitment to excellence, Gabriel continues to share his passion and talent with audiences everywhere.
Cadence Shevy
Cadence Shevy, a violinist from Rock Hill, SC, has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall and the Teatro Colón. Her musical journey, beginning at age four, has taken her across the United States, South America, and the Dominican Republic as a member of the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). Additionally, she has played under the batons of many renowned conductors, such as Gustavo Dudamel and Marin Alsop, and has performed in masterclasses for many esteemed artists, including David Kim and Stefan Jackiw.
Cadence’s passion for chamber music was sparked during a student-led NYO2 initiative in New York, where she discovered the joy of collaborating with peers in a small ensemble setting. Returning home inspired, she co-founded a chamber quartet with principal players from her youth orchestra, which performed throughout North and South Carolina. Her chamber music experience further expanded in summer 2024, when she was part of an NYO-USA chamber ensemble that performed at The Juilliard School in New York City. Also dedicated to orchestral and solo performance, Cadence previously served as concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra of Charlotte and spent two summers traveling with NYO-USA and NYO2, representing the US on international tours.
Beyond performing, Cadence believes in the importance of investing in her community. In high school, she created a private music studio, teaching over 25 students. Currently, she volunteers with a student music organization, providing free private music lessons to underserved students in the local area. Additionally, she actively volunteers in her local church and performs at various gigs in the community.
As she continues her Violin Performance studies at East Carolina University under the instruction of Hye-Jin Kim and Ara Gregorian, Cadence remains dedicated to artistic growth, striving to use her music to inspire those around her - whether on stage, through teaching, or within her community.
Ford Amerson
Ford Amerson, a rising young artist and violist from Greenville, NC, began his musical journey at the age of four. He has performed throughout the U.S. in states such as Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, and Vermont. With music always being a significant part of his life, he started his own performance business in high school, exploring a variety of musical genres. This venture was sparked by a pivotal experience performing at a concert with Grammy-winning violinist Damien Escobar, which deeply inspired his artistic path.
Ford has developed a deep passion for chamber music, becoming an active participant in numerous Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival events in recent years. In 2024, he won the Texas Music Festival Chamber Competition in Houston, Texas, further solidifying his reputation as a rising star in the music world. His performance there grabbed the attention of many in the Houston area. This summer, he attended the prestigious Yellow Barn Young Artists Program in Putney, Vermont, continuing to refinie his craft with some of the top young musicians in the world.
Alongside his chamber music pursuits, Ford is equally passionate about orchestral performance. During the 2024 Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival, he served as associate principal violist, performing under the baton of world-renowned conductors such as Carl St. Clair and Hans Graf. He also won the principal viola position for the 2023 NC Eastern Regional Symphony, and was a member of the North Carolina Honors Orchestra for multiple years. Currently, Ford holds the position of principal violist for the ECU Symphony Orchestra and frequently performs with various orchestras across eastern North Carolina.
Ford was also a finalist at the 2024 Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Concerto Competition with the North Carolina Symphony. He has performed in masterclasses for esteemed artists such as Yura Lee, Hsin-Yun Huang, Daniel Phillips, and Maria Lambros. He has also worked with members of the Parker String Quartet, Jupiter String Quartet, Mendelssohn String Quartet, Formosa String Quartet, and Terra String Quartet. He currently studies with Ara Gregorian and Hye-Jin Kim and is pursuing degrees in both Viola Performance and Economics at East Carolina University.
Iana Parks
As a cellist for eight years, Iana is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. She has performed across the United States in Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, and New York at Carnegie Hall, performing with Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.
Originally starting out as a trumpet player, she switched to cello and studied under orchestral cellist Robin Reinarz when she was fourteen.
Iana has been a member of numerous orchestras, including the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra Philharmonic and the Nevada All-State Orchestra, the ECU Symphony Orchestra, as well as summer music festivals at Nevada School of the Arts and Utah Tech. She greatly enjoys playing traditional string quartets, cello choirs, and orchestral ensembles.
She is currently studying under Emanuel Gruber at East Carolina University as both a Music Education and Cello Performance double major, as well as volunteering with the Eastern Youth Orchestra in a mentorship position. Iana also serves as a student associate of the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival.
