Meet the Members of the Verona Quartet!
Fischoff is delighted to bring back the Verona Quartet, winner of Fischoff’s 2025 Ann Divine Educator Award, for this week-long Arts-in-Education residency. This national award recognizes the educational outreach work of Fischoff Competition alumni who have demonstrated outstanding and imaginative programming for children and youth in the United States. It honors musicians who have established professional careers in chamber music and have proven their ability to successfully build a career in both chamber music performance and educational outreach.
Name: Dorothy Ro
Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Where You Live Now: Oberlin, Ohio
Favorite Food: Sushi and popcorn
Favorite Candy: Ferrero Rocher chocolate
Favorite Teacher: My high school violin teacher because he was strict and demanding, but always supportive and kind to me. He taught me how to work hard and to aim for the stars!
Favorite Children’s Book: Corduroy by Don Freeman
Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Going on a hike, watching a good movie, and napping!
Fun Family Fact: Grew up in a musical family, mother is a pianist, sister is a cellist, and my father is a scientist but an amateur flutist and music lover! Played lots of chamber music together as a family!
Coolest Place You’ve Ever
Hidden Talent: I have a terrible sense of direction (my quartet colleagues can attest to this!), so whenever I direct us to go a certain way (either left or right), it is 100% always the opposite direction and my colleagues know to always go opposite of what I say!
Name: Jonathan Ong
Hometown: Singapore
Where You Live Now: Oberlin, Ohio
Favorite Food: Asian cuisine! Always love a good Pad Thai 🙂
Favorite Candy: Kinder Bueno Chocolate Bar
Favorite Teacher: I have a soft spot for my Singaporean violin teacher, she was the one who made me fall in love with the violin!
Favorite Children’s Book: Roald Dahl’s “The BFG”
Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Travelling to fun cities/countries and eating good food!
Fun Family Fact: I have three siblings and we were a string quartet growing up.
Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: Wigmore Hall in London
Hidden Talent: Finding good Asian food wherever I am in the world
Name: Abigail Rojansky
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Where You Live Now: Oberlin, OH
Favorite Food: Anything with lemon on it!
Favorite Candy: Halva (sesame seed candy)
Favorite Teacher: Chemistry teacher from high school (he did magic tricks for us and even brought his friend, actor Robin Williams to school one day!)
Favorite Children’s Book: Dr. Seuss, The Butter Battle Book
Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Be in the outdoors! I love to go for walks and look for edible berries and nuts. I also love to garden and then cook with the things I grow and forage!
Fun Family Fact: Although I am the only musician in my immediate family, my aunt is a composer, and my cousin is a conductor who lives in Belgium
Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: An Emirati throne room 
Hidden Talent: If I tell you, it won’t be hidden any more… 😉 but I am a virtuoso kazoo-ist in my spare time
Name: Jonathan Dormand
Hometown: Penistone, England
Where You Live Now: Oberlin, Ohio
Favorite Food: Soup and mushy things
Favorite Candy: Chocolate
Favorite Teacher: I liked all of my teachers
Favorite Children’s Book: The Far Away Tree
Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Tennis and eating good food!
Fun Family Fact: I’m an only child
Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: Shanghai Symphony Hall
Hidden Talent: Being extra clumsy