Hamilton Village Quartet & Juliana Pereira

When violinist Juliana Pereira came to Hamilton, she saw both a welcoming community and an opportunity to share something she deeply loves: chamber music. Originally from New York City, Juliana studied the Suzuki method at the School for Strings in Hell’s Kitchen and has built an international career performing across the U.S., Brazil, and Europe. Having performed in major concert halls and with ensembles ranging from chamber groups to full symphony orchestras, Juliana is most inspired by the intimacy and dialogue of chamber music, a passion that led her to collaborate in founding the Hamilton Village Quartet (HVQ) at Arts at the Palace. 

After splitting her time between NYC and Hamilton for several years with her partner, a Colgate professor, Juliana was ready to invest more time here and build something of her own in the community. Chamber music had long been at the heart of Juliana’s performing life, and without question she knew she wanted to bring a string quartet to Central New York.  Connecting with Henry Howard at Arts at the Palace and meeting fellow violinist Jessie Stark, who shared her enthusiasm and vision for chamber music, quickly led to the formation of the Hamilton Village Quartet. The ensemble came together naturally, featuring an exceptional lineup of musicians: cellist Hillary Glen, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Colgate University, and violist Claire Wilcox from the Colgate University Orchestra. From the start, HVQ had a clear vision, “to share a wide range of chamber music with the community, from beloved classics to contemporary and lesser-known works, in a way that feels fun, engaging, and accessible to everyone.”

To date, HVQ has put on four string quartet concerts at the Palace Theater, “the community has really welcomed us with open arms,” she says. “I’ve loved the opportunity to share chamber music with this audience and to craft programs that feel fresh and personal. It feels like we’re building something really special here.”