Zakarias Grafilo, violin, joined the Alexander String Quartet in July 2002. Prior to that he served as Principal Second Violinist of the Pacific Symphony, and Concertmaster of the Stockton Symphony. Mr. Grafilo was co-founder of the Chamberlain String Quartet, which was Assistant Quartet-in-Residence to the Alexander String Quartet at San Francisco State University. He received his early musical training at the Preparatory Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and was later admitted into the Marin Music Conservatory where he studied with Serban Rusu. He received his early orchestral training with the world-renowned San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra where he was Concertmaster in 1992. Mr. Grafilo continued his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying with Alexander Treger, Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University.