Edinburgh Quartet
The Edinburgh Quartet, founded in 1960, has long been celebrated as one of Britain’s foremost chamber ensembles, appearing regularly at prestigious venues across the UK and touring extensively across Europe, the Far and Middle East, and North and South America.
In addition to a busy concert schedule the Edinburgh Quartet is frequently featured in radio broadcasts for the BBC and other stations. Recently this has included live appearances on Classics Unwrapped (BBC Radio Scotland) and Jazz Line-Up and In Tune (BBC Radio 3) as well as video recordings for Studio One Sessions, which appear on the BBC Radio Scotland website.
“perky and pristine in the Haydn, gutsy and attitudinal in the folk-inspired Prokofiev, movingly sustained in the grim delights of the Shostakovich… richly considered, rigorously balanced and, ultimately, a musical treat”. (The Scotsman)
“absolutely essential listening” (The Herald)
Benedek Horváth
Benedek Horváth is a Hungarian pianist based in Switzerland, renowned for his expressive interpretations and wide repertoire. He has performed in over 20 countries, including China, and debuted in New York at Merkin Hall with Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto. He has appeared at the Gstaad Menuhin and Lucerne Festivals, collaborated with major orchestras, and won prizes at the Clara Haskil and Paloma O’Shea competitions. His recordings are released on Artalinna, IAN, Prospero Classical, and Hungaroton.
“There is no ostentatious virtuosity here, no merciless hammering with pauses, but an intelligent and captivating differentiation that reveals the full richness of the composition.”
Pizzicato Magazin, Remy Franck
Duo Damaard
The Duo Damgaard-Gryesten is one of the most important duo groups in Northern Europe. They have been invited to perform in important concert halls and music festivals in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Vietnam, etc. Cultural Center, Hanoi Concert Hall, Copenhagen Summer Music Festival, Copenhagen Radio, Wendsell Music Festival, etc.
The Damgaard-Gryesten duo are two excellent soloists. Damgaard won the first prize in the Jakob Gade violin competition, and Gryesten won the Nordic piano competition. As soloists and chamber music players, the two musicians have performed in every important concert hall in Denmark and have toured in many European countries.
"House music lovers will love this album, the performance of two outstanding musicians enthusiastically ... an album worthy of repeated appreciation"
-Denmark "Jutland Post"
Trio Khnopff
Originating from a common love for the Belgian symbolist painter Fernand Khopff, the three artists decided to set up the trio in 2014 and named it as Trio Khnopff.
The Trio Khnopff were taught at the most prestigious music schools in Europe: Queen Elizabeth Conservatory of Music in Belgium, the Royal College of Music in London, the Conservatory of Music in Bern, Switzerland, the Mons College of Music in Belgium, and the Brussels Conservatory of Music. They has won many awards in the field, performing and recording around the world.
Girard Quartet
Girard Quartet was born of a shared passion brought to life by family performances of chamber music from a very early age.
At the present time, they are quartet in residence at the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium’s Royal Chapel, where they benefit from close contact with the Artemis Quartet. They are also supported by the Singer-Polignac Foundation.
The Girard Quartet play with internationally renowned musicians such as Philippe Bernold, Maurice Bourgue, Miguel da Silva, Nicolas Dautricourt, etc. Regularly invited by France Musique and by Radio Classique, they also collaborate with Jean-François Zygel. Their first album on the Discophiles Français label was lauded by music critics (Choix de France Musique, Qobuzissime).
“The Girard Quartet is formed entirely of Girards, and I gather there are five more at home. It is easy to put the members' unanimity of ensemble down to their familial closeness, but there was extraordinary singularity and shared purpose to their playing as they opened Haydn's op.76 no.5 in D major with elegant simplicity and continued with genuine authority. They are also extremely good -the finale hared along. Schumann's A minor Quartet op.41 no.1 was beautifully paced and shaped, with a natural ebb and flow. After a powerful account of the Akshelyan, I left the day thinking this was the quartet to beat.”
-Tim Homfray, The Strad
“Magic trick. This is the case of the Girard quartet, who started the evening with two movements of Maurice Ravel's String Quartet. Remarkable in the mutual listening as in the individual speech, these young chambermasters perfectly restore the paradoxical texture of a work that blisters hot and cold, in the manner of a volcano in activity that would be covered with a pack ice resized by A master glass-maker!”
-Le Monde
Notos Quartet
The Notos Quartet is regarded as one of the "outstanding chamber music formations of our time“ (Fono Forum 9/2017). Besides this piano quartet’s „virtuosic brilliance and technical perfection“ audiences and critics worldwide celebrate the Notos Quartet for its „sense of balance and ensemble playing revealing every detail of the composition“ and praise the musicians for their „profound musicality that goes straight to the heart“.
Since founding the ensemble in 2007 the Notos Quartet has won numerous first prizes at international competitions around the world, including the Schoenfeld International String Competition in China, the Almere International Chamber Music Competition and Charles-Hennen-Concours in Holland, the Premio Vittorio Gui in Italy and the Parkhouse Award in London.
„The Notos Quartet is a fantastic ensemble!” - Zubin Mehta
„Phenomenal, this is true musicianship.” - Lynn Harrell
„the finest chamber music performance I have heard anywhere“
Classical Voice North America, Robert Markow
