Gershon Gerchikov, violin (Israel and Cincinatti, OH), is the first violinist of the Ariel Quartet, which was in residence at Yellow Barn in 2009. Formed in Israel as teenagers at the Jerusalem Academy Middle School of Music and Dance and celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2020-21, the Ariel was named recipient of the prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award, granted by Chamber Music America in recognition of artistic achievement and career support. The ensemble serves as the Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where they direct the chamber-music program and present a concert series in addition to maintaining a busy touring schedule in the United States and abroad. While still in Israel, Gershon performed with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Yad Harif Chamber Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Radio Orchestra, and was a prizewinner in the Violinists-Composers Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. Gershon is a graduate of the "Young Musicians Unit" (now the David Goldmann Programme for young artists) of the Jerusalem Music Centre. Gershon received his Bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory while studying with Lucy Chapman as well as Miriam Fried, and graduated from NEC’s Professional String Quartet Studies program, during which he continued his violin studies with Miriam Fried, and Donald Weilerstein.  He plays on a Petrus Guarneri violin on loan from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.