Borodin Quartet

Quartet is universally recognised for its genuine Highlights in 2018/19 include widely anticipated interpretation of Russian music, generating full tours of Australia for Musica Viva and New critical acclaim all over the world; the Zealand for New Zealand; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes about performances at the Chamber Music Society of them “here we have not four individual players, Lincoln Center New York, Library of Congress in but a single sixteen-stringed instrument of great Washington DC, Friends of Chamber Music virtuosity”. Miami, Victoria Concert Hall Singapore, Wigmore Hall London, Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, The Quartet's connection with Shostakovich's Società dei Concerti di Milano, as well as a special chamber music is intensely personal, since it residency at the Kanazawa Spring Green Festival was stimulated by a close relationship with the in Japan; further performances include Taipei, composer, who personally supervised its study Hong Kong and Moscow, with tours of South of each of his quartets. Widely regarded as Korea, China, Belgium and Canada; playing the definitive interpretations, the Quartet’s cycles of quartets of Shostakovich, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, “ […] their almost preternatural the complete Shostakovich's quartets have been Wolf, Beethoven, Mozart, Prokofiev, and ability to synchronise as though performed all over the world, including , Stravinsky. Zurich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Lisbon, Seville, they were one single instrument.” London, Paris and New York. The idea of Chamber music partners in 2018/19 include The Independent performing a complete cycle of Shostakovich's Alexei Volodin, Michael Collins, Sergei quartets originated with the . In Nakariakov and Barry Douglas. The Borodin

recent seasons, the ensemble has returned to a Quartet will also begin a Shostakovich Cycle at

broader repertoire, including works by Schubert, the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam and will

Prokofiev, Borodin and Tchaikovsky, while reprise their relationship with conductor Vladimir

continuing to be welcomed and acclaimed at Jurowski to perform the Schulhoff and Martinů

major venues throughout the world. Concertos for String Quartet with the London

Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival

The Borodin Quartet was formed in 1945 by four Hall in London, a project they have performed

students from the Moscow Conservatory and previously in Dresden and Moscow.

remains one of the very few existing established

chamber ensembles with uninterrupted The Quartet’s first release on the Onyx label,

longevity. The world has changed beyond featuring Borodin, Schubert, Webern and

recognition since 1945; the Borodin Quartet, Rachmaninov, was nominated for a Grammy in

meanwhile, has retained its commitment to 2005 in the “Best Chamber Performance” Ruben Aharonian - violin tonal beauty, technical excellence and category. The Borodin Quartet has produced a Sergei Lomovsky - violin penetrating musicianship. The ensemble’s rich heritage of recordings over several decades, Igor Naidin - cohesion and vision have survived successive for labels including EMI, RCA and Teldec, Vladimir Balshin – cello changes in personnel, thanks not least to the including the Complete Beethoven quartets for

common legacy shared by its members from CHANDOS. The Quartet’s recording of the

their training at the Moscow Conservatory. The complete Shostakovich String Quartet Cycle for

current members of the Quartet are Ruben Decca was released in September 2018, following

Aharonian, Sergei Lomovsky, Igor Naidin and the first release in the cycle, a dedicated 70th For more than seventy years, the Borodin Vladimir Balshin. anniversary CD (of string quartets Nos.1, 8, and Quartet has been celebrated for its insight and 14), released in March 2015. . authority in the chamber music repertoire. In addition to performing quartets, the Borodin Revered for its searching performances of Quartet regularly joins forces with other Beethoven and Shostakovich, the Quartet is distinguished musicians to further explore the equally at home in music ranging from Mozart Valid for use until 31 August 2019 chamber music repertoire. Their partners have to Stravinsky. included Sviatoslav Richter, Yuri For updated versions please contact

Bashmet, Michael Collins, Alexei Volodin, Barry [email protected] Described by the Daily Telegraph Australia as Douglas, Mario Brunello, Elisabeth Leonskaja, “the Russian grand masters”, the Borodin Christoph Eschenbach, Boris Berezovsky, and Quartet’s particular affinity with Russian Nikolai Lugansky. repertoire is based on constant promotion, performances and recording of the pillars of The Quartet also regularly receives invitations Russian string quartet music - Borodin, to give masterclasses, and to serve as jury Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, as well as members at major international competitions. Glinka, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Schnittke. The

Rayfield Allied Member of the International Artist Unit 26, China Works Managers’ Association Black Prince Road, London SE 1 7 SJ , UK Rayfield Allied acts as agent only and can www.rayfieldallied.com accept no responsibility as principal E-mail [email protected] Telephone +44 (0) 20 3176 5500 Facsimile +44 (0) 700 602 4143