Juilliard String Quartet Welcomes New Second Violinist Leonard Fu; Ronald Copes to Step Down Following a 28-Year Tenure

[NEW YORK, June 30, 2025]––As it approaches its 80th year, the venerable Juilliard String Quartet (JSQ) has named Juilliard alum Leonard Fu (Artist Diploma ’23) as second violinist. Fu succeeds Ronald Copes, who is stepping down from the ensemble following a 28-year tenure and will remain on the Juilliard violin faculty. Fu has been a teaching assistant at Juilliard and with this appointment joins the college faculty. 

“It is such a special moment when one of our own returns to carry forward a Juilliard legacy. As a distinguished alum, Leonard Fu will bring artistic brilliance, curiosity, and a spirit of adventurous collaboration to his new role in the Juilliard String Quartet,” said Juilliard President Damian Woetzel.

“Through its artistry onstage and impact in the teaching studio, the Juilliard String Quartet has long been a leading voice in the world of chamber music. For nearly three decades, Ron Copes has brought brilliant musicianship and wise leadership to the group, and we are grateful that he will continue as a valued member of the Juilliard violin faculty,” said Juilliard Provost Adam Meyer. “As Leonard Fu steps into the role of second violin and joins the Juilliard violin faculty, his own unique artistic voice will carry forward the unmatched legacy of the quartet.”

Fu joins an ensemble—with violinist Areta Zhulla (Pre-College ’04; BM ’08, MM ’10), violist Molly Carr (BM ’09, MM ‘11), and cellist Astrid Schween (Pre-College ’80; BM ’84, MM ’85)—whose stellar reputation places it among the leading quartets worldwide. The group’s dedication, creativity, and artistry reach countless fans and music lovers around the world each year, both live and through its expansive discography. The JSQ members are also devoted teachers who lead master classes, coachings, and private instruction at Juilliard and on tour.

“The Juilliard String Quartet has profoundly shaped my musical journey—from my precollege studies in Germany with Tanja Becker-Bender (MM ’02, Artist Diploma ’04), who often spoke of her time studying with JSQ founder Robert Mann (JSQ 1946–96) and shared the quartet’s values, to learning from Ron Copes, Roger Tapping (JSQ 2013–22), and Joel Krosnick (JSQ 1974–2016) in the U.S. It’s an incredible honor to carry forward their legacy,” said Fu. “The quartet’s dedication to the full range of string repertoire deeply resonates with me, and I am truly grateful and thrilled to embark on this journey with Areta, Molly, and Astrid!”

Copes remarked, “My time in the Juilliard String Quartet has truly been the inspiration of a lifetime. Through each of the quartet’s incarnations, my colleagues have inspired me and broadened my understanding; I will always be grateful for their generosity, their passion, and their friendship. I know I share with my current colleagues the pleasure and excitement of welcoming Leonard Fu to the JSQ’s continuing adventure. Personally, I look forward to following the quartet’s activities and enjoying its further evolution.”

“As we mark the close of Ron Copes’ extraordinary 28-year tenure with the Juilliard String Quartet, we offer our deepest gratitude for his immense contributions to the JSQ and the broader world of chamber music. Ron’s intellectual rigor, passionate artistry, and unwavering devotion to mentorship have left an indelible legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come. We all offer him our warmest wishes for joy and fulfillment in his next chapter,” said Zhulla, Carr, and Schween. “At the same time, we are thrilled to welcome violinist Leonard Fu. A passionate musician with an uncommonly rich understanding of the chamber music literature, Leonard brings his brilliant gift for collaboration and infectious creative energy to this new configuration of the Juilliard String Quartet. As we look ahead to the future of the JSQ, we are delighted to welcome him!”

Committed to supporting the creation of invigorating new repertoire, the JSQ has a long-standing tradition of commissioning new works by composers including Lembit Beecher, Tyson Davis (BM ’23), Mario Davidovsky, and Jörg Widmann (Advanced Certificate '95). Information regarding the quartet’s highly-anticipated 2025-26 season will be announced at a later date.

For more information about the JSQ and upcoming activities, please visit juilliardstringquartet.org.

About Leonard Fu

Violinist Leonard Fu (Artist Diploma ’23) has established a diverse and distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, concertmaster, pedagogue, and composer. He has performed across Europe, North America, and Asia, appearing in renowned venues including the Elbphilharmonie, Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Het Concertgebouw, Alice Tully Hall, and Jordan Hall. 

As a soloist, he has been featured with leading orchestras, including the NDR Radiophilharmonie, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, and Allentown Symphony, under conductors including Andrew Manze, Alexander Shelley, Elias Grandy, and Diane Wittry. Fu has also served as guest concertmaster with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. 

A dedicated chamber musician, Fu has collaborated with artists including Mitsuko Uchida, Kim Kashkashian, Janine Jansen, Jörg Widmann, Laurence Lesser, Jens Peter Maintz, Hsin-Yun Huang (MM ’04), Natasha Brofsky (Pre-College ’83), and the Kuss Quartet. Fu’s artistic interests span historical performance, contemporary premieres, and cross-genre collaborations. 

An accomplished composer, Fu frequently performs his own works and has been commissioned for solo and chamber pieces. He is a laureate of numerous international competitions, including the Postacchini, Lipizer, Joseph Joachim, TONALi, Ton & Erklärung, and Schadt competitions, and has been praised for his “superior awareness for sound and structure” by German music critic Harald Eggebrecht. 

Fu’s early years in Germany were guided by studies with Lara Lev and Tanja Becker-Bender. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Donald Weilerstein and studied at Juilliard with Weilerstein and Catherine Cho (BM ’92, MM ’94). Fu has pursued further professional studies with Antje Weithaas at the Kronberg Academy, supported by the Gingko Foundation. He has served as teaching assistant to Weilerstein at NEC and Cho at Juilliard, where he assisted with both Pre-College and College students.

Fu performs on a “Lorenzo Storioni, Cremona, 1781,” generously loaned from the instruments fund of the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben. 

About the Juilliard String Quartet

With unparalleled artistry and enduring vigor, the Juilliard String Quartet (JSQ) continues to inspire audiences around the world. Founded in 1946 and hailed by The Boston Globe as

“the most important American quartet in history,” the ensemble draws on a deep and vital engagement to the classics while embracing the mission of championing new works, a vibrant combination of the familiar and the daring. Each performance of the Juilliard String Quartet is a unique experience, bringing together the four members’ profound understanding, total commitment, and unceasing curiosity in sharing the wonders of the string quartet literature.

The Juilliard String Quartet continues to honor its rich legacy of innovative commissions with Letters to Ludwig, a deeply personal, multi-year commissioning project that invites living composers to engage with Beethoven’s late quartets. The first chapter featured two evocative new works by German composer Jörg Widmann, inspired by Op. 130, including its original ending, the Grosse Fuge. In the 2025–26 season, the journey continues with a new quartet by Iraqi-American composer Michelle Barzel Ross, reflecting on the profound spirit of Op. 132. These commissions were made possible with the generous support of The Juilliard School, Chamber Music in Napa Valley, and Arizona Friends of Chamber Music.

As part of a new collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon’s STAGE platform, the Juilliard String Quartet plans to present live-streamed performances of each chapter of Letters to Ludwig, offering global audiences an immersive experience of this evolving artistic journey. The first chapter was live-streamed in January 2025 and is now archived on the platform for on-demand viewing.

Performance highlights of the Juilliard String Quartet’s 2024-25 season included ongoing collaborations with violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, with appearances at major venues including Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. The season also featured distinguished collaborations with soprano Tony Arnold and clarinetist Daniel Ottensamer. The Quartet’s extensive touring included performances at London’s Wigmore Hall and BBC Radio, Berlin’s Pierre Boulez Saal, Salzburg’s Mozarteum Grosse Saal, Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, as well as New York’s Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

A facet of the JSQ’s decades-old legacy is a prolific and celebrated discography, with landmark recordings that continue to be rereleased by Sony Masterworks. The quartet’s latest album on Sony (2021), featuring works by Beethoven, Bartók, and Dvorák, was released to international acclaim, with Strings Magazine calling it a “miracle of contrasting color.” Other notable releases include an album featuring the world premiere recording of Davidovsky’s Fragments (2018) alongside Beethoven’s Op. 95 quartet and Bartók’s Quartet No. 1. The JSQ’s recordings of the Bartók and Schoenberg quartets as well as those of Debussy, Ravel, Duttileux, and Beethoven have won Grammy Awards. In 2011 the JSQ became the first classical music ensemble to receive a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

The JSQ is string quartet in residence at The Juilliard School in New York City and its members—Areta Zhulla, Leonard Fu, Molly Carr, and Astrid Schween—are all sought-after teachers on the string and chamber music faculties. The quartet regularly offers classes and open rehearsals while on tour and hosts the internationally recognized Juilliard String Quartet Seminar each May at Juilliard.

About The Juilliard School

Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors, composers, choreographers, and playwrights from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. Juilliard is led by Damian Woetzel, seventh president of the school, who has prioritized affordability and access to the highest level of artistic education while championing Juilliard’s tradition of excellence.

Located at Lincoln Center in New York City, Juilliard offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, drama (acting and playwriting), and music (classical, jazz, historical performance, and vocal arts). More than 800 artists from 42 states and 50 countries and regions are enrolled in Juilliard’s College Division, where they appear in more than 800 annual performances in the school’s five theaters; at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully and David Geffen halls and at Carnegie Hall; as well as at other venues around New York City, the U.S., and the world. The continuum of learning at Juilliard also includes nearly 400 students from elementary through high school enrolled in the Preparatory Division—Pre-College and Music Advancement Program (MAP); MAP serves students from diverse backgrounds often underrepresented in the classical music field. More than 1,200 students are enrolled in Juilliard Extension, the flagship continuing education program taught both in person and remotely by a dedicated faculty of performers, creators, and scholars. Beyond its New York campus, Juilliard is defining new directions in performing arts education for a range of learners and enthusiasts through a global K–12 educational curricula and preparatory and graduate studies at The Tianjin Juilliard School in China.

juilliard.edu @juilliardschool

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CONTACT:

Brendan Padgett                                                          

news@juilliard.edu