About Us
Midnight Sun String Quartet
Midnight sun String Quartet is one of
the most sought-after Anchorage based
ensembles for weddings, corporate
events, and parties. The group
performs both classical music,
as well as original arrangements
of popular contemporary songs,
bringing a level of artistry and
professionalism your guests
are sure to notice!
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Danika Watson
Violin
A fourth-generation Alaskan, violinist Danika Watson performs with the Aurora Borealis String Quartet, Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Bowl Chamber Orchestra, and ensembles throughout Alaska. Before returning home, she earned her bachelor’s in music performance and linguistics at Northwestern University and her master’s at The Juilliard School, and toured around the world as a soloist, chamber musician, and ensemble player. By day she is a lawyer.
Emily Madsen
Violin
Emily Madsen has played violin since the age of four, and has played with a variety of ensembles, including the Bryn Mawr/Haverford Bi-College Orchestra, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Orchestra, the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra, and the Keene Chamber Orchestra.
She performs with the Aurora Borealis quartet, has been concertmaster of the Anchorage Civic Orchestra since the fall of 2019, and is currently acting Associate Concertmaster for the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra. She holds a PhD in English Literature from University of Wisconsin-Madison and is an associate professor in the English Department at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Christian Johnson
Viola
Christian Johnson began studying viola at age eight and played in school orchestras for many years for fun. At sixteen he started private lessons, and by seventeen he was principal violist in several ensembles, including the Folsom Lake Youth Chamber Orchestra, Folsom High Chamber Orchestra, and the Sacramento State University Symphony.
Following a successful audition, Christian earned a scholarship to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he studied with Atar Arad and received a Bachelor of Music in Performance. During his time there he won a place in the university’s top ensemble, the Philharmonic Orchestra, re-auditioning successfully each year. He also served as principal viola for a variety of groups, from jazz orchestra and silent-film projects to ad hoc chamber ensembles, and performed with regional professional orchestras such as the Columbus and Richmond Symphonies.
In 2021 Christian moved to Alaska to teach music. He joined the Aurora Borealis Quartet and the Anchorage Symphony in 2023, and in 2025 was invited to adjudicate the Alaska State Solo & Ensemble Festival and the All-State Orchestra. In addition to his musical career, he recently completed a degree in surgical technology and now works at a hospital in Anchorage.
Pierre Derycz
Cello
Pierre is a cellist and composer with a passion for reaching new audiences. An experienced concert presenter, he worked with the YMF Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles to produce the world-premiere performance of YEETHOVEN, a program comparing the pioneering artistry of western classical and hip-hop artists, which garnered international media coverage and overflow attendance. As a performer, he has collaborated with many ensembles across Southern California, and is a co-founder of the cross-genre cello ensemble Splntrd Wood and electro-acoustic band String Fever.
Now based in Anchorage, Alaska, Pierre serves as Executive Director of Alaska Youth Orchestras and the Anchorage Chamber Music Festival. He is a tenured member of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra. Founder of Foogmasta Studios, Pierre enjoys creating custom covers for classical ensembles seeking to diversify their repertoire to genres including pop, hip-hop, and EDM. Pierre has also left his mark on the scores of several big-picture films; look carefully and you may spot his credit in titles such as Thor: Love and Thunder, Lightyear, Spider-man: Far From Home, and Coco.