The Fitzwilliam, Auryn, Sacconi & Dante Quartets
The Fitzwilliam String Quartet
Founded in 1968 by four Cambridge undergraduates, the Fitzwilliam was one of the first of a long line of distinguished quartets to have emerged under the guidance of Sidney Griller at the Royal Academy of Music. The quartet has performed and recorded extensively – their recordings of Shostakovich’s quartets were included in Gramophone magazine’s “Hundred Greatest-ever Recordings” in November 2005.
The Auryn Quartet
Matthias Lingenfelder
violin Jens Oppermann
violin Stewart Eaton
viola Andreas Arndt
cello
Founded in 1981, the spirit of friendship has been the driving force behind the Auryn Quartet: ‘…its members interact with a sensitivity that seems almost telepathic.’(The Washington Post). Having studied with the Amadeus and Guarneri Quartets, the ensemble has developed into one of the most important quartet of its generation, performing regularly in the world’s major concert halls.
The Sacconi Quartet
Ben Hancox
violin Hannah Dawson
violin Robin Ashwell
viola Cara Berridge
cello
Formed in 2001 at the Royal College of Music, the Sacconi Quartet is rapidly establishing itself as one of Europe’s finest young quartets. In 2006 they won 2nd Prize at the London International String Quartet Competition and in 2005 1st Prize in the Trondheim Competition. ‘
Dynamically, highly sophisticated… delicately realized in the Viennese Haydn tradition.’ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, October 2007
The Dante Quartet
Krysia Osostowicz
violin Giles Francis
violin Judith Busbridge
viola Bernard Gregor-Smith
cello
Winner of the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music in 2007, the Dante Quartet is known for its imaginative programming and the emotional intensity of its performances. The group was founded in 1995 at the International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove, Cornwall, and chose the name of Dante to reflect the idea of a great and challenging journey.