The Toomai String Quintet is an ensemble devoted to performing classical and
contemporary repertoire while also exploring and arranging music from around the
world. Winner of the 92nd Street Y's 2007 Music Unlocked! Competition, the
quintet has appeared in chamber series at Lincoln Center and Kaufmann Concert
Hall, as well as in clubs, public schools, hospitals, and community centers
throughout the NYC area.
Formed in 2007 at The Juilliard School, the quintet is named after Rudyard
Kipling’s short story “Toomai of the Elephants,” about a young boy who follows
his elephant into the jungle to witness the dance of the wild elephants. The
Toomai String Quintet aspires to cultivate a similar sense of curiosity and
discovery by searching for diverse music and sharing it with its audience.
The quintet comprises violinists Emilie-Anne Gendron and Pala Garcia,
violist Erin Wight, cellist John Popham, and bassist Andrew Roitstein.