SEASON 16: CURRENTS
Opening Notes, Lasting Impressions:
Julia & Friends
Artonic Quartet with Jeffrey Sykes
Saturday
Sept. 27, 2025 7:30pm
Uptown Blanco Ballroom
Violinist and BPA co-founder Julia Pautz returns to open the season alongside the Artonic Quartet - San Diego Symphony members Jing Yan Bowcott, Jason Karlyn, and Xian Zhou - and renowned pianist Jeffrey Sykes. The program features Mendelssohn’s youthful String Quartet No. 2, a work brimming with passion and brilliance, often described as a musical love letter from the teenage composer. Dvořák’s beloved Piano Quintet No. 2 rounds out the evening with sweeping melodies and lush harmonies that stay with you long after the final chord.
Artist Info
Artonic Quartet
Named for a mix of art and tonic, a nod to both music theory and a good cocktail, Artonic Quartet brings a spirit of connection, creativity, and serious fun to the classical stage. Formed during the pandemic by four San Diego Symphony musicians from around the globe, the group has grown into a vibrant voice in Southern California’s chamber music scene.
Whether performing for thousands of migrant children at the Convention Center, premiering bold new works like Handbag Aria by Tommy Dougherty as part of the California Festival, or gracing stages like the Rady Shell, Jacob's Music Center, and The Conrad Auditorium, Artonic aims to make music that is invigorating, healing, and unmistakably alive.
Described by the San Diego Union-Tribune as “hugely entertaining” and featured on its front page in 2023, the quartet continues to bring heart, humor, and high-caliber artistry to every performance.
Quartet Bios
A native of China, Jing Yan Bowcott is a distinguished violinist whose musical journey has taken her across Asia, Europe and the United States. Encouraged by her musical parents, she began playing violin at the age of six and won her first competition at ten. She later studied at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music before earning a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Graduating with top honors, she received the Academy’s highest diploma for her outstanding final performance. She then continued her studies in the U.S. under the renowned violin professor Mauricio Fuks at Indiana University. Passionate about chamber music, Jing enjoys exploring a wide range of repertoire, from classical masterpieces to contemporary works. She has collaborated both as a soloist and ensemble musician with Art of Elan, La Jolla Music Festival, California Chamber Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNOW series. As an orchestral musician, she has performed with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, New World Symphony, London Philharmonic and Beijing Symphony. Her accolades include first prize at the Neimeng Violin Competition, the Winifred Solo Competition in London, and the prestigious Royal Academy Soloist award. Jing has been a member of the San Diego Symphony since 2006 and is the violinist of the Artonic String Quartet. In 2019, she was an artist-in-residence at Hainan University School of Music and Dance in China, where she mentored and performed with local students and musicians. Dedicated to education, she provides private lessons on solo repertoire and orchestral excerpts, nurturing the next generation of violinists. Beyond her musical career, Jing is passionate about traveling the world, embracing new experiences and constantly learning. A true foodie, she enjoys discovering diverse cuisines, as well as indulging her love for fashion and home decor.
Hailed as "a genuine virtuoso" by the Dallas Morning News, Julia Pautz has been a member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra since 2010. A native of the tiny town of Blanco Texas, Ms. Pautz was a National Merit Scholar, and she earned a Bachelor of Music degree with honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music, a Master of Music degree with honors from the University of Southern California and a professional studies certificate from The Colburn School. She was a student of Linda Cerone and renowned violin pedagogue Robert Lipsett. Following her studies, Ms. Pautz joined the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. In Texas she served on faculty of the preparatory department at Texas Christian University and now maintains a private teaching studio near La Jolla. An enthusiastic chamber musician, Ms. Pautz co-founded the non-profit Texas-based Hall Ensemble. She co-founded and serves as an artistic advisor for the chamber music series Blanco Performing Arts, based in her hometown. Locally she now performs with other SDSO members in the Artonic Quartet, with whom during the pandemic she started Backyard Beethoven, a series of concerts bringing chamber music to outdoor spaces in San Diego. Julia Pautz now happily splits her time between making beautiful music with her colleagues and mothering her busy fifth grader Jackson who attends Bird Rock Elementary.
After years of serving as Acting Section Viola for the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Jason Karlyn recently won an international audition to claim a position in the Symphony's Viola Section. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from The Juilliard School and his Master's Degree from the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music where he studied with Che-Yen Chen. Mr. Karlyn attended the Aspen Music Festival and School for four summers as a fellowship recipient, studying with Masao Kawasaki, his principal instructor at Juilliard. Mr. Karlyn has served as Principal Viola of the Juilliard Chamber Orchestra and USC Thornton Symphony, as well as a substitute violist for the New World Symphony. In 2012 Mr. Karlyn performed on the BBC Proms Festival in London at the Royal Albert Hall. Mr. Karlyn has performed in the masterclasses of Roberto Diaz, C.J. Chang, Donald McInnes, Dimitri Murrath and the Takács and Orion String Quartets. Recently Mr. Karlyn has performed string quartets and trios with violinist Midori and has been coached by Hsin-Yun Huang, Earl Carlyss, Lewis Kaplan, Samuel Rhodes and Sylvia Rosenberg. In Los Angeles Jason Karlyn serves as a Teaching Artist for Harmony Project, a non-profit organization that provides music education to at-risk youth.
Praised for his stunning technique, sensitivity and superb artistry, San Diego Symphony Orchestra cellist Xian Zhuo is a young professional musician whose artistry is recognized by awards and audiences. The winner of the 2011 Isidor Handler Award (1st Prize) at the 38th Dr. Luis Sigall International Cello Competition in Chile, Mr. Zhuo's recent exciting engagements included concertos and master classes in Chile, Brazil, China and the USA. In 2013 he was selected as one of the top ten young Chinese cellists and was featured on a CCTV Concert in Beijing with the China Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Zhuo also had his debut with Guiyang Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Zuohuang Chen in China. He joined the SDSO in 2014. Mr. Zhuo first gained national recognition when he won 1st prize in the China National Competition. In addition to the Isidor Handler Award, he won 1st prizes in the Corpus Christi International Competition, Loeb/Louviere International Competition, Redlands Bowl Young Artist Competition, Parness Young Artists Concerto Competition, La Jolla Symphony and Chorus Young Artists Competition and Fé Bland Foundation Music Awards. Additionally, he was chosen as one of the 25 participants for the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Russia, in 2011. The catalog of Mr. Zhuo’s CDs represents works by award-winning Chinese-American composer Tian Zhou, recorded with the Guangzhou Symphony and released by China’s leading label, Pacific Audio and Video. His album String Poetic: Chinese Folk Music for Cello was released in celebration of the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou. Born in Xiamen, China, Mr. Zhuo began cello lessons with his father at age six and made his cello debut at the age of seven. Subsequently, he received professional education at the University of Southern California, Yale University, the Royal Northern College of Music and Shanghai Conservatory on full scholarships. His prominent artist teachers include Ralph Kirshbaum, Nathaniel Rosen, Aldo Parisot, Liwei Qin and Mei-Juan Liu. He also performed at masterclasses for Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Anner Bylsma, Natalia Gutman, Trüls Mørk and Jian Wang. His goal is to share the beautiful musical fabric that he creates with audiences throughout the world. "An extraordinarily talented young international artist of great originality and technique…breathtaking, soulful and individualistic performances…Stunning technical command of the instrument, and his artistry is both sensitive and passionate.” - Nathaniel Rosen, Concert Cellist, Gold Medalist of the International Tchaikovsky Competition
Jeffrey Sykes
Acclaimed by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as “a commanding solo player, the most supportive of accompanists, and a leader in chamber music,” Jeffrey Sykes has performed across North and South America, Europe, and Asia. He is a founding member of the San Francisco Piano Trio, praised for its virtuosic interpretations of repertoire from Haydn to Piazzolla.
Recently named Artistic Director of the Cactus Pear Music Festival in San Antonio, Sykes is also co‑founder and artistic co‑director of the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society of Wisconsin, a highly regarded chamber music festival now in its 30+ seasons.
A regular guest artist at such institutions as the Brooklyn Chamber Music Society, Olmos Ensemble, and Music in the Vineyards, he has appeared in venues including Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess series, the Musée des Impressionismes in Giverny, and Carnegie Hall supported by the Pro Musicis Foundation.
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