Alexander Pavlovsky, violin
Sergei Bresler, violin
Ori Kam, viola
Kyril Zlotnikov, cello
“Passion, precision, warmth, a golden mix: these are the hallmarks of this excellent Israeli string quartet.” New York Times
Such was the impression the New York Times had of the Jerusalem Quartet.
Since the ensemble’s inception in 1993 and its debut in 1996, the four Israeli musicians have been on a journey of growth and maturity. This journey has resulted in a vast repertoire and a striking depth of expression, which continues the string quartet tradition in a unique way. The ensemble bases its identity on a human, warm and full sound and an equal balance between the upper and lower voices. This approach offers the quartet the possibility of maintaining a healthy relationship between individual expression and transparency and respect for the composer’s work. This is the driving force and motivation behind the ensemble’s continued refinement of its interpretations of the classical repertoire, as well as its exploration of new eras.
The Jerusalem Quartet is a regular and valued guest on the world’s major concert stages. With a twice-yearly touring presence in North America, the quartet has performed in cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington and Cleveland, as well as at the Ravinia Festival. In Europe, the quartet is enthusiastically received and regularly performs in all the prestigious concert halls and festivals such as Salzburg, Verbier, Rheingau, Schleswig-Holstein and the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg.
The Jerusalem Quartet records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi. The quartet’s discography has been awarded numerous prizes such as the Diapason d’Or and the BBC Music Magazine Award for chamber music. In spring 2019, the quartet released a unique album exploring Jewish music in Central Europe between the wars, including a collection of Yiddish cabaret songs from Warsaw in the 1920s, with Israeli soprano Hila Baggio. In 2020, the Jerusalem Quartet released the second (and final) album of its complete Bartók oeuvre; both recordings have received critical acclaim.
In August 2022, the ensemble performed the Bartók cycle at the Salzburg Festival; in the 2022/2023 season, they are invited to perform at the Barcelona String Quartet Biennial and in renowned venues such as the Berlin and Luxembourg Philharmonic and the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie. Their performance of Shostakovich’s piano quintet with Elisabeth Leonskaja at the Wigmore Hall in London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Concertgebouw in Bruges is a highlight of their season.
Elisabeth Leonskaja will also join the Jerusalem Quartet for a tour of Italy, including concerts in Rome, Florence, Milan and Bologna. Other highlights of the season include a concert with Frans Helmerson and Miguel Da Silva in Istanbul and performances of the Yiddish Cabaret programme with Hila Baggio, including at the Wigmore Hall in London.
