The Chilingirian Quartet is a British

string quartet The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists ...

. It gave its first public concert in Cambridge in 1972. By the time the quartet celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, there had been various changes in the line-up. However, it has continued to be led by Levon Chilingirian.

History

Founded in 1971 in London, it became a resident quartet of the University of Liverpool (1973–1976) after taking lessons with Siegmund Nissel from the

Amadeus Quartet The Amadeus Quartet was a string quartet founded in 1947 and disbanded in 1987, having retained its founding members throughout its history. Noted for its smooth, sophisticated style, its seamless ensemble playing, and its sensitive interpretat ...

. In 1976 they won the International Competition for Young Concert Artists and became resident quartet of the Royal College of Music of London.

Festival appearances

The quartet had a long-term association with the Lake District Summer Music Festival from its inception in 1985. They were also involved with the Scottish

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

festival "Mendelssohn on Mull" of which Levon Chilingirian was artistic director from 2003 to 20016.

Members

* Levon Chilingirian* first violin * Mark Butler, Ronald Birks (2009–2020), second violin * Simon Rowland-Jones*, Csaba Erlalyi (1980–1987), Louise Williams (1987–)
Susie Mészáros
Asdis Valdimarsdottir, viola * Philip De Groote* Stephen Orton (2013– ) cello Note: * = founder member

Premieres

*''Mouvement pour quatuor à cordes'' 1988 by Alain Daniel.Alain Daniel
Homepage *''Closer'' 1988 by Frédérick Martin

Recordings

Amongst other recordings a box set of LPs of Schubert's last three quartets was issued by Nimbus Records on Nimbus2301/2/3 from 1978 studio performances where Simon Rowland-Jones was the violist.

Source

Alain Pâris Alain Pâris (born 22 November 1947) is a French conductor and musicologist. Biography Born in Paris, Alain Pâris was trained as a pianist and has a law degree. He studied conducting with Pierre Dervaux, Paul Paray and Georg Solti and won the ...

, ''Dictionnaire des interprètes'', series Bouquins, Éditions Robert Laffont 1989,