Frost String Quartet

Invite the quartet

Sophia, Clive, Joel and Andrew, the four founding members of Frost String Quartet, photographed outdoors together.

Student-led nonprofit chamber ensemble · Fairfax County, Virginia

Free concerts in the rooms where a concert rarely comes

Seven student musicians, grades nine and ten. Admission is always free.

The four founding members Four players. The ensemble is seven.

All seven walking together across campus in late afternoon light. 01 · Seven students, grades 9–10 Musicians The quartet in black and white beside tall factory windows. 02 · Eleven since November 2023 Concerts The ensemble outdoors on a low wall, cello resting at the centre, trees behind. 03 · There is no fee Get in touch
01

The mission

To spread the joy of music to those in need

Frost String Quartet is a student-led chamber ensemble from Fairfax County, Virginia. We bring live classical music into memory-care homes, senior residences, nursing centers and hospitals — places where a concert rarely comes. Admission is always free. We are guided by our strings instructor, Mrs. Anne-Marie Patterson.

Guided by Mrs. Anne-Marie Patterson, Strings Instructor & Faculty Guide.

01A

Mission in practice

  1. 01

    Practice with purpose

    Rehearse seriously, listen closely and build the discipline chamber music asks of every player.

  2. 02

    Serve the community

    Give free concerts in senior residences, memory-care communities, nursing centres and hospitals.

  3. 03

    Mentor younger musicians

    Return to the classroom to demonstrate quartet playing and encourage the students coming next.

The quartet playing in a care-centre lounge, the heads of seated residents in the foreground.
Playing for residents the rooms this quartet was formed for
02

By the numbers

  • 01 11 Concerts performed Since November 2023
  • 02 7 Partner venues Memory care, senior living, hospitals
  • 03 7 Student musicians Grades 9–10, Fairfax County
  • 04 $0 Charged to any audience Every concert is free
03

Meet the Quartet

How four friends became seven musicians

Founded in the fall of 2023 by Sophia, Clive, Andrew and Joel — four friends from the same youth orchestra — and named after their middle school, Frost.

  1. 01

    Four friends, one idea

    Sophia, Clive, Andrew and Joel met in the same youth orchestra. In the fall of 2023 they formed a quartet and named it after their middle school, Frost. Their strings instructor, Mrs. Anne-Marie Patterson, helped them turn rehearsals into a plan.

  2. 02

    The first room

    Their first concert was at Brightview Memory Care in Annandale, Virginia. The residents’ faces lit up as music filled the room — smiles were everywhere. The quartet returned twice that same school year.

  3. 03

    Beyond memory care

    The ensemble played for the FCPS Social Workers Annual Conference and kept returning to Brightview. Word travelled between activity directors across the county.

  4. 04

    A summer of seven concerts

    Chesterbrook Residences, Fairfax Nursing Center, Brightview Senior Living and INOVA Schar Cancer Center in the summer. Then Sibley Memorial Hospital, the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and INOVA Schar again in December — in Santa hats.

  5. 05

    Seven musicians

    Micaela, Mina and Hyunseo joined the founding four. More players means more rooms, more repertoire, and concerts that can run when school schedules collide.

All seven walking beneath a lit colonnade at blue hour, cases in hand.
All seven Fairfax County, Virginia.
04

Where we played

The four most recent Frost String Quartet concerts
No.DateVenueKindCity
11 INOVA Schar Cancer Center Hospital Fairfax, VA
10 Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Medical center Washington, DC
09 Sibley Memorial Hospital Hospital Washington, DC
08 INOVA Schar Cancer Center Hospital Fairfax, VA

All eleven concerts

The founding quartet demonstrating chamber music to younger students in the Frost Middle School orchestra room.

“What began as a simple idea grew into something truly meaningful, reminding us that even small acts can leave a lasting impact.”

The founding members
Mentoring younger musicians at Frost Middle School Where every program starts.
05

Voices from the rooms

“Ohhhhh we were so happy to have you all come and play for us and can’t wait to have you all back.”

Lisa S. Brightview Annandale Verified message

Read the whole message

06

The invitation

Invite the quartet

Where the quartet plays:

  • 01Memory care and assisted living
  • 02Senior residences
  • 03Nursing and rehabilitation centers
  • 04Hospitals and cancer centers
  • 05Community and staff events

If you would like the quartet to perform at your facility, share your openings and your favorite music genre or pieces. There is no fee.

Write to us