Mason Yu, violin (Irvine, CA), is the founding violinist of the Omer Quartet, which received the Grand Prize and Gold Medal at the Fischoff Competition, and a special prize at the Bordeaux International Competition. With the quartet, Mason has performed concerts throughout North America and Europe, as well as conducted masterclasses for local student ensembles. Solo highlights of the past few years include concerto appearances with the Lucerne Festival Academy orchestra, the Aspen Music Festival Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Music orchestra, and the Cleveland Philharmonia, working with conductors such as Pablo Heras-Casado, Jane Glover and Joel Smirnoff. As part of the Kennedy Center’s Conservatory Series, Mason consecutively performed both violin and piano solos. He led the Boston Chamber Orchestra as co-concertmaster on a tour of Kyushu, Japan, and served as concertmaster during the orchestra’s collaboration with the Kyushu Symphony. Mason is on the faculty of New England Conservatory Preparatory School, and serves as a teaching artist for the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Crescendo” program. Mason received a M.M. and G.D. at New England Conservatory, studying with Donald Weilerstein and Paul Katz. Previously, he received a B.M. at the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Paul Kantor, Joel Smirnoff and Ivan Zenaty.