Maverick Quartet

The UNO Maverick Quartet, founded in 2016, has served as Quartet-in-Residence with Nebraska Medicine’s Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Healing Arts Program since 2018. The ensemble includes Olga Smola, violin I; Mary Perkinson, violin II; Tyler Sieh, viola; and Gregory Clinton, cello.

Committed to the role of music in healthcare and community settings, quartet members have performed as soloists and served as mentors with the Nebraska Medical Orchestra. Additionally, they have collaborated with the UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences on Music & Memory research. Since 2025, the ensemble has served as Quartet-in-Residence at Heritage Sterling Ridge Senior Living Community, where its members engage older adults through music making, listening, reminiscing, and connection.

Individually and collectively, the members have established careers as orchestral musicians, chamber musicians, soloists, and educators, with performances throughout North and South America, Europe, Russia, and Asia. The quartet presents annual chamber music concerts and regularly collaborates with guest artists from Omaha and beyond.

Education and mentorship are central to the quartet’s mission. The UNO Maverick Quartet is dedicated to enriching the musical lives of young string players through artistry, pedagogy, and community engagement. Members conduct clinics throughout Nebraska and host annual programs for K–12 string students and educators, including All-State video tutorials, the Teaching Strings for the Non-String Player Workshop, and the UNO BOCH Festival. Through performance, education, healthcare, and community partnerships, the quartet seeks to demonstrate the many ways chamber music can connect, inspire, and serve.