The Excelsa Quartet was formed in January 2009 at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in Boston  (USA), where all of the members have since received their individual graduate degrees. While at NEC, the Quartet had the honor of working with Roger Tapping (Takács Quartet), David Takeno (Tokyo Quartet), Martha Strongin Katz (Cleveland Quartet), Miriam Fried, Lucy Chapman, composer John Heiss, and world renowned conductor Benjamin Zander. In April 2010 the Quartet had the great privilege of performing in Jordan Hall as part of the concert series for the NEC Contemporary Music Ensemble. In September of both 2009 and 2010, the Excelsa Quartet was invited to participate in the Britten-Pears International Academy of String Quartets in Aldeburgh (England), where they worked with Isabel Charisius (Alban Berg Quartet), Ilan Gronich (Israel Quartet), Sebastian Hamann and David Dolan. As a result, they were asked to continue their studies with Isabel Charisius and Sebastian Hamann at the Konservatorium Dreilinden in Lucerne, where they are now pursuing a Masters’ Degree in Chamber Music. All members of the Quartet have held principal positions in the Lucerne Chamber Orchestra. In addition to their commitments in Switzerland, the Quartet is simultaneously furthering their studies with the Alban Berg Quartet at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (Germany).

The Excelsa Quartet was a semi-finalist in the 2010 Credit Suisse Jeunes Solistes Competition. They won the 'Prix du Jury 'Jeunes Musiciens' et du Public’ at the Illzach 17th International Chamber Music Competition in France. In 2011 the Quartet won the 1st Prize 'The Provincie Limburg Prijs' along with the 'EMCY Prize' at the Charles Hennen International Chamber Music Competition for Strings in the Netherlands. The Quartet has been invited to participate in the ‘Premio Paolo Borciani’ International Chamber Music Competition which will take place in 2011 in Italy.

The Excelsa Quartet takes its name from 'Picea excelsa', a distinct species of spruce trees native to Northern Europe from which the top panel of only the finest string quartet instruments are made.

You may see more about the Quartet on their new website: www.excelsaquartet.com/

Repertoire

L. van Beethoven, String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, 'Razumovsky' (Op. 59, No. 2)
C. Debussy, String Quartet in G minor (Op. 10)
J. Haydn, String Quartet No. 67 in  F Major 'Lobkowitz' (Op. 77, No. 2/Hob. III/82)
F. Mendelssohn, String Quartet in A minor (Op. 13, No. 2)
F. Schubert, String Quartet D. 810  No. 14 in  D minor 'Der Tod und das Mädchen'
R. Schumann, String Quartet in A Major (Op. 41, No.3)
D. Shostakovich, String Quartet in C minor (Op. 110, No.8)
I. Stravinsky, 3 Pieces for String Quartet (1914)

If you are interested in working with Excelsa Quartet, please get in touch with the EMCY Office.