Brian Dembow, violist, is well known in the field of chamber music. Born in New York City, he was admitted to the Juilliard School at age eleven as a scholarship student of the renowned pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. As a young violinist Mr. Dembow began capturing first place finishes in competitions as well as winning the Edward Dethier Award and on two occasions the Michael Rabin Award. At age eighteen he made his first appearances abroad with orchestra in a series of concerts throughout Germany and Scandinavia. A move to Southern California in 1978 helped establish his reputation there as a teacher (at the University of California), and as an orchestral musician (serving as concertmaster of both the Long Beach and San Diego Symphonies.) Mr. Dembow has been a member of the New York and Sequoia String Quartets. As a member of the Angeles String Quartet, Mr. Dembow won a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance (2001) for the landmark recording of the 68 String Quartets of Joseph Haydn for the Philips Classics label. In addition, he has recorded for the Delos, Sine Qua Non, CRI, and Koch international labels. Mr. Dembow has also served for several years as Artist-in-Residence at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado.
