Founded in Warsaw in 1995, the Szymanowski Quartet has developed into one of the most exceptional international string quartets of its generation. Their sophisticated programmes present a perfect balance between intellect and passion, characteristics with which the Szymanowski Quartet captivates its audiences at prestigious festivals and concert halls in Europe, the United States, Asia, Australia and South America.

The Quartet’s extraordinarily high standard has been confirmed by numerous awards and distinctions. They took first prizes at the ‘Premio Vittorio Gui’ Competition in Florence and the ‘In Memoriam Dimitri Schostakowitsch’ in Hanover. They were prize-winners at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition. From 2001 to 2003 the Szymanowski Quartet participated in the BBC’s New Generation Artists scheme. In 2005 they were honoured with the Szymanowski Award of the Karol Szymanowski Foundation in Warsaw, the only time this has been given to a string quartet. In 2007 they were awarded the Medal of Honour by the Polish government for their service to Polish culture.

The ensemble is a regular guest at internationally renowned festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein and Rheingau, Mozartfest Würzburg, Bregenz and Schwetzingen, Niedersächsische Musiktage as well in Lockenhaus, London, Cheltenham, Bath and Perth. In 2008 the Quartet founded the Lviv Chamber Music Festival at the UNESCO World Heritage site on the border between Ukraine and Poland. The Quartet’s concerts take them to major concert halls such as New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Vienna’s Musikverein, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, Louvre in Paris and Konzerthaus in Stockholm. Regular tours to North America have brought appearances in New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Diego, Vancouver and Montreal. Along with standard classical-romantic repertoire, the Quartet has a strong commitment to contemporary music. It performs the music of Magnus Lindberg, Elena Kats-Chernin, Philip Cashian, Thomas Larcher and Andrew Toowey, some of whom have dedicated their works to the Szymanowski Quartet.

The Szymanowski Quartet studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover with their teacher and mentor Hatto Beyerle. They continued to refine their performances working with Isaac Stern and Walter Levin, and with the Amadeus, Emerson, Juilliard and Guarneri quartets. Since 2000 they have been Quartet in Residence at the Musikhochschule in Hanover.