Apollon Musagète Quartet
The Apollon Musagète Quartet has been part of the European musical landscape since 2008,
when it won first prize and almost all the special prizes at the 57th ARD International
Music Competition. The quartet made its debut at the Berlin Philharmonie in March 2010, and
subsequently was nominated by Vienna's Konzerthaus and Musikverein for the Rising Stars
program, which led to performances at European concert halls, including the Megaron in
Athens, Philharmonie Cologne, Citè de la musique in Paris, Palais des Beaux Arts in
Brussels, Stockholm Konserthuset, and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, as well as venues in
Luxemburg, Vienna, and Barcelona. In the 2012-2013 season, the ensemble appears at such
renowned venues and festivals as London's Wigmore Hall, Schubertiade Schwarzenberg,
Munich's Herkulessaal, Paris's Louvre, Tonhalle Zurich, and Lucerne Festival.
In 2010, the quartet founded the Apollon Musagète Festival, which is held in Goslar and
features concerts by such renowned guests as members of the former Alban Berg Quartet. The
quartet's chamber music partners have included mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and
clarinetist Martin Fröst. Its chamber music cycles have included Les grand
interprètes in Geneva and a Beethoven cycle at the Berlin Philharmonie, plus
performances at the Esterházy String Quartet Festival, La Folle Journée de Nantes, and Alte
Oper Frankfurt.
Collaborations with living composers have always played an important role for the Apollon
Musagète Quartet. In addition to the standard string quartet repertoire, the ensemble has
had a number of new works dedicated to it that often focus on the quartet's namesake and
spiritual mentor, Apollo. The quartet also frequently incorporates its original
compositions Multitude for String Quartet and A Multitude of Shades into
its programs.
The quartet's second CD-featuring works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich-will
be released on Oehms Classics this season. Its debut CD was awarded CD of the Month by
Radio Stephansdom in Vienna and the Pasticcio Prize of the ORF. In addition, the quartet
has worked intensively with singer Tori Amos and made a vital contribution to her new CD
Night of Hunters, which was awarded the 2012 ECHO Klassik Award.