Ysaÿe Quartet

"… the Konzerthaus debut of the Ysaÿe Quartet was a bath in luxurious sonority ... Such a homogeneous ensemble sound is not heard every day, even in Vienna, spoilt though we are for string quartets." Die Presse, Vienna

The Ysaÿe Quartet was formed in 1984 while the members were still students at the Paris Conservatoire. The Quartet is named after the violinist, quartet player and composer Eugène Ysaÿe (1858 - 1931) who was a powerful influence on the musical world of his day. 

Since its formation, the Ysaÿe Quartet has had the opportunity to work with Walter Levin of the LaSalle Quartet and with members of the Amadeus Quartet in Cologne. In 1988, the Quartet gained international recognition by being the first French quartet to win the Grand Prix at the Evian International Competition. 

The Quartet’s busy international schedule includes regular appearances in the US, Asia, and throughout Europe including concerts at Théâtre de la Ville and Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, the Wigmore Hall and South Bank in London, the Musikverein in Vienna, at the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg, and at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival. Future plans include participation in a Beethoven cycle in Kassel in Germany, a Beethoven cycle at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, two concerts celebrating Haydn’s bi-centenary at the Wigmore Hall in London, and an appearance at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam which will include the Dutch premiere of the clarinet quintet by Friedrich Cerha, written for the Ysaÿe Quartet. 

The Ysaÿe Quartet’s discography includes recordings of works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Ravel and Fauré for various recording companies including Harmonia Mundi, Phillips and Decca. In 2003 the Ysaÿe Quartet founded its own record label (Ysaÿe Records/Aeon), and their most recent releases feature repertoire by Haydn, Schumann, Mozart, Magnard, Fauré, Beethoven and Franck. 

Having a deep interest in contemporary music, the Ysaÿe Quartet’s performances have been a catalyst for new works by Boucourechliev, Dusapin, Krawczyk, Monnet, Tanguy, and Escaich. In 2001 the Quartet was awarded the Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros for their recording of the complete quartets by André Boucourechliev. 

Since 1994, the Ysaÿe Quartet has developed a keen interest in teaching, and they have founded a string quartet class at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris.