Aurelius Ensemble

The Aurelius Ensemble was named after Marcus Aurelius Thompson, internationally acclaimed violist and chamber music player, to honor his 25 years of exemplary service in mentoring and educating young musicians at MIT. Thompson, Taylor Professor of Music since 1995 and Professor of Music since 1973 at MIT, founded the MIT Chamber Music Society his first year at the Institute and continues to promote and coach chamber music as head of the Society.

The Aurelius Ensemble was founded summer 1998 by MIT musicians. From 1998 to 2000, the Ensemble presented several highly successful theme concerts (see tabs) to standing-room-only audiences at MIT's Killian Hall. A subset of the group formed a trio in 1994 prior to the inception of the Ensemble. A group of four members from the Ensemble later formed the Aurelius Piano Quartet.

The Ensemble's programs were made possible by funding from the MIT Council for the Arts and Committee for Campus Race Relations, and by support from the MIT Office of the Arts and Music and Theater Arts.