This ensemble is, without a doubt one of the greatest quartets on the international scene!

Thomas Zehetmair, 1^st Violin

Kuba Jakowicz, 2^nd Violin

Ruth Killius, Viola

Ursula Smith, Cello

Founded in autumn 1994, the Zehetmair Quartet embarked upon its first concert tour in spring 1998. Their success resulted in re-engagements by all the promoters, followed by invitations to the United States (2001 and 2003) and Japan (2002) to complement the Quartet’s annual European tours. In the summer of 2004 the Zehetmair Quartet was guest at the Edinburgh Festival, the Helsinki Festival, the Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival and others. In 2005 the Zehetmair Quartet gave a master class in Bern for the first time and further master classes are planned for the following years. In spring 2006 a very successful concert tour led the Zehetmair Quartet throughout Europe with appearances in Vienna, Berlin, Cologne, Zurich, Madrid, Lisbon, and Manchester, among others. In February 2007 they will give a master class in Japan.

Their first CD featuring Bartók’s 4th and Hartmann’s 1st quartet was released in 2000 on the ECM label and was awarded the Quarterly Prize by the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik. Their latest release, Schumann’s 1st and 3rd string quartets (also recorded on ECM), won the Gramophone Award (Record of the Year), the Diapason d’Or of the Year, the Dutch Edison Classical Music Award 2004, the Belgian Caecilia Award and the Klara Award for the best international production of the year. The release of their latest CD with Hindemith’s 4th and Bartók’s 5th string quartets on ECM is planned for spring 2007.

The Zehetmair Quartet rehearses a new program each year, under a conception that generally envisages rarely-performed masterpieces (e.g. by K. A. Hartmann, S. Veress) in combination with the more standard repertoire.

December 2006
Please discard all previously printed materials.