The Alard Quartet[i] was an American string quartet active from 1954 to 1994. Formed at the Juilliard School of Music in 1954 under the direction of Hans Letz, the original members were Seymour Wakschal and Donald Hopkins, violins, Arnold Magnes, viola, and Jorge Sicre, cello.

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An early success was winning the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Competition[ii] [iii], which awarded them a debut concert in New York’s Town Hall and a performance with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Reviewing the 1956 Town Hall concert for the New York Herald Tribune, Jay Harrison wrote that the Alard Quartet was “young, fresh, talented, professional.”[iv]

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Throughout its career, the Quartet enjoyed a continuous series of residencies at academic institutions. The first was as graduate students at the University of Texas[v], and continuing with residencies at Wilmington College[vi] in Ohio, the State University of New York at Potsdam, the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand[vii], and, finally, from 1962 to 1988, at Penn State University[viii].

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During the time at Wilmington College, a number of personnel changes occurred, culminating in 1960 when Joanne Zagst Feldman joined the Quartet. At this point, the lineup was Donald Hopkins, 1st violin, Joanne Zagst, 2nd violin, Raymond Page, viola, and Leonard Feldman, cello. This foursome stayed together for the rest of the Quartet’s career. In 1970, the two violinists switched chairs.

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From 1965 to 1994 the Quartet was represented by Raymond Weiss Artist Management. Over the length of their career, theyaveraged about 30 concerts per year, including those given as part of the residencies. The Quartet had an extensive repertoire, consisting of well over 100 string quartets, including a significant number by contemporary American composers, such as Ezra Laderman[ix], Vincent Persichetti[x], Ralph Shapey[xi], and others. They concertized extensively in the east and southeast of the US, as well as in other parts of the country and in Canada. Several concerts in the New York City area attracted favorable reviews. Raymond Erickson of the New York Times wrote about the 1967 Town Hall concert, that the concert was “played by four admirably balanced instrumentalists, who brought vitality, cohesion, and solid musicianship to the readings.” [xii] Between 1961 and 1973 The Alard performed five times at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC as part of the American Music Festival.[xiii] [xiv] [xv] [xvi] [xvii]

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For 24 years the Quartet presented a summer Chamber Music Workshop at Penn State, attracting amateur players from around the United States.

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The Quartet toured New Zealand in 1964, Europe in 1969 and 1980, and Mexico in 1961, the last being under the auspices of the US Information Agency (formerly called the US Information Service).  These concerts were in large cities, such as Monterrey, Mexico City, San Luis Potosi, Merida, Vera Cruz, Guadalajara, and in small towns and villages, some of which had never before been visited by a classical group.

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In July 1988 Ray Page retired from the University, but the Alard Quartet continued playing a limited number of concerts independent of the University. The Feldmans retired from Penn State in 1990. Donald continued to teach at PSU until his retirement in 1997 and retired as an Associate Professor Emeritus.

Cellist Leonard Feldman died in 2003, violist Raymond Page in 2016, and violinist Donald Hopkins in 2023.