Photo by AJK Images
Homage to Great Artists
September 12, 2026
CMSFW Ensemble
Violinist and CMSFW Artistic Director Gary Levinson opens the season with an ensemble that includes a unique quartet for four violins. Levinson will be joined by violinists Danbi Um, Lucas Aleman, and Jennifer Betz. Don’t miss this exhilarating performance.
Program includes:
Franz Schubert — Violin Sonata in A Major (“Grand Duo”)
Grażyna Bacewicz — Quartet for Four Violins
Johannes Brahms — Violin Sonata, No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108
Artists or program may be subject to change.
Pre-Concert Conversation 1:15 p.m.
Concert 2:00 p.m.
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Photo by Marco Borggreve
The Artists
Violin
Gary Levinson
Gary Levinson is the senior principal associate concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the artistic director of the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth.
Born in St. Petersburg, he began studying the violin at age 5 at the Leningrad Special Music School. He and his family immigrated to the United States in 1977, and he began winning top prizes at international competitions.
Known for his Bel Canto playing style and adroit technique, Mr. Levinson made his New York Philharmonic solo debut in 1991, coinciding with the completion of his master’s degree at The Juilliard School.
He was appointed in March 1998 as the first violinist of the Elysium String Quartet. He led the inaugural season of the Mykonos International Music Festival in August 1998, as well as a gala concert honoring the Elysium String Quartet at the United States ambassador’s residence in Athens, Greece.
Much sought-after as a chamber musician, he has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, and Eugenia Zuckerman. He has recorded several CDs, including a bass and violin duo — performed with his father, renowned double bassist Eugene Levinson — written for and dedicated to the father and son team.
Gary Levinson travels and performs year round all over the globe, including summer music festivals. He also mentors young musicians through the CMSFW2 emerging artist program.
Photo by AJK Images
Violin
Danbi Um
Praised by The Strad as an “utterly dazzling” artist, with “a marvelous show of superb technique” and “mesmerizing grace” (New York Classical Review), violinist Danbi Um captivates audiences with her virtuosity, individual sound and interpretive sensitivity. A silver medalist in the Menuhin International Violin Competition and winner of the prestigious 2018 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, she showcases her artistry in concertos, solo recitals and in collaboration with distinguished chamber musicians.
Ms. Um’s debut album, Much Ado: Romantic Violin Masterworks, was released worldwide in fall of 2023. Her second album, Poème Mystique, was released in February 2025.
Ms. Um made her New York recital debut in 2018 at Lincoln Center presented by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She also has appeared in recital and in chamber music performances at the Kennedy Center, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Harris Theatre in Chicago, Wigmore Hall in London and at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Ms. Um began violin lessons at the age of 3. She moved to the United States in 2000 to study at the Curtis Institute of Music, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. She also holds an artist diploma from Indiana University.
Photo by Marco Borggreve
Violin
Lucas Aleman
Lucas Aleman has been a member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2006.
A native of Spain, he has performed across the United States and Europe to critical acclaim. Often praised for his luscious sound and charisma with the audience, Mr. Aleman has a true understanding of the different period composers and has enjoyed a versatile career playing solo and chamber music.
He was appointed concertmaster of the Real Filharmonía de Galicia (Royal Philharmonic of Galicia) in 1998 at the age of 22, making him, at the time, the youngest concertmaster in Spain. He left his post in 2000 and became concertmaster of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mr. Aleman is a passionate and experienced chamber musician, collaborating with such esteemed musicians of Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and the Rotterdam Orchestra. He has appeared in numerous festivals in Europe and North America, including the Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam and Musica por Doquier (Music Everywhere) in New York City. He holds degrees from the Hogeschool van Kunsten Utrecht (Utrecht University of the Arts) in the Netherlands.
Photo courtesy of The Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Violin
Jennifer Betz
Jennifer Betz is a violinist with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the quartet Sedici Strings.
Born in San Jose, California, she has played violin since the age of 7. She received her Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University in 2008, after which she joined the Peninsula Music Festival in Florida. She also played with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach.
In addition to playing violin, she enjoys running, reading, and traveling.
