The Pacifica Quartet, a professional string quartet based in Bloomington, Indiana, was formed in 1994 by Simin Ganatra and Brandon Vamos. Their initial lineup included violinist Josefina Vergara and violist Kathryn Lockwood. Their early breakthrough came with wins at the 1996 Coleman Chamber Music Competition, the 1997 Concert Artists Guild Competition, and the 1998 Naumburg Chamber Music Award. In 2001, Masumi Per Rostad replaced Lockwood, and they received significant accolades including Chamber Music America's Cleveland Quartet Award in 2002 and the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2006. They won "Ensemble of the Year" by Musical America in 2009. They performed complete string cycles by Elliott Carter, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Shostakovich. Notable recordings include The Soviet Experience: Shostakovich & Contemporaries, Vol. 1 (2011).
