 During his years at Curtis he formed a lifelong friendship with Felix Galimir.At age 22 Genualdi won an audition to serve as associate concertmaster of the San Francisco Symphony; it was during this time that he became a founding member and first violinist of the Muir Quartet.Under the aegis of the Wardwell Fellowship at Yale University, the Muir captured international attention by winning first prize in 1980 at Le Concours d'Evian and also the 1981 Walter W. Naumburg Chamber Music Award.