Carpe Diem String Quartet

The Carpe Diem String Quartet is a classical string quartet, founded in 2005 in Columbus, Ohio. The current members as of their 19th season in 2024-25 are Sam Weiser, 1st violin; Marisa Ishikawa, 2nd violin; Korine Fujiwara, viola; and Ariana Nelson, cello. Though the members live elsewhere now, the Carpe Diem board of trustees is still based in Columbus. The quartet's repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary chamber music. They regularly perform the works of contemporaries like Reza Vali, Richard Danielpour, Jonathan Leshnoff. A New York Times article featured a listening recommendation to their recording by Reza Vali of "Ashoob (Calligraphy No. 14)” They also perform from the standard quartet repertoire such as the masterpieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Felix Mendelssohn. Carpe Diem performs and tours regularly in the United States, Canada, Japan, China, and Europe. The quartet is an active proponent for the overlooked Russian composer Sergei Taneyev, and recorded his nine string quartets, as well as his viola quintet, for the Naxos label. The quartet regularly performs and collaborates with non-classical artists, including Willy Porter and Jayme Stone. Some of the artists with whom the quartet has collaborated include Yo-Yo Ma, David Krakuaer, Raul Juarena, and Richard Stoltzman.