Midsummer’s Music recently announced that their professional string quartet, the Griffon String Quartet, has officially added two new members, after holding auditions looking for their next members. 

Alex Norris and Jesse Nummelin were the two musicians that were selected to begin performing with the string quartet in September. Norris will play Violin II and Nummelin will be the Cello player for the quartet. Midsummer’s Music Executive Director Allyson Fleck said the process was just like any other, as they held many auditions and had a lot of interest, but in the end they were able to get their finalists. 

Alex Norris is not only a member of the Griffon String Quartet now, but he also is a member of the Des Moines Metro Opera, the Stoughton Music Festival, and the Quad City Symphony. Alex has a strong background in orchestral playing as well, having formerly been a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, and Principal Second Violin in the Illinois Symphony.

As for Jesse Nummelin, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in cello performance at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and then a Masters of Music at Arizona State University. He currently serves as the assistant principal cellist of the Des Moines Symphony and has performed with the Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, South Dakota Symphony, and Duluth Superior Symphony, among others.Midsummer’s Music recently announced that their professional string quartet, the Griffon String Quartet, has officially added two new members, after holding auditions looking for their next members.