The Minguet Quartet

The Minguet Quartet, founded in 1988, is now among the most sought-after string quartets internationally, performing in all major concert halls around the world. Their passionate and intelligent interpretations provide thrilling listening experiences, as noted by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "The joy of sound and expression with which the ensemble brings the works to life enlivens even the smallest detail." The quartet is named after Pablo Minguet, an 18th-century Spanish philosopher who sought to make the fine arts accessible to the general public; the Minguet Quartet is more committed to this idea than ever.

In 2024, the Minguet Quartet was a guest at the Salzburg Festival for the seventh time, having debuted there in 2004. In 2025, the ensemble will perform at venues including the Robert Schumann Hall in Düsseldorf, the Diligentia Theater in The Hague, and the Fruchthalle in Kaiserslautern, as well as at the Raderberg Concerts of Deutschlandfunk in Cologne.

The Minguet Quartet focuses equally on classical-romantic literature and modern music, actively promoting 21st-century compositions through numerous world premieres. Encounters with significant contemporary composers inspire the four musicians to develop new program ideas. Notable projects include the first complete recording of string quartets by Wolfgang Rihm, Peter Ruzicka, and Jörg Widmann, along with the audio documentation of Manfred Trojahn's monumental Second String Quartet and a portrait CD of composer and OPUS KLASSIK 2023 award winner Konstantia Gourzi released by ECM. A highlight in recent years was the performance of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Helicopter String Quartet as part of a concept by conductor Kent Nagano.

In 2010, the Minguet Quartet received the ECHO Klassik award, followed by the prestigious French Diapason d'Or in 2015. In 2020, it was awarded the RELOAD scholarship by the Federal Cultural Foundation. In 2024, the ensemble served as Schönberg150 ambassadors and was a member of the artistic honorary committee of the Arnold Schönberg Center in Vienna.

MINGUET QUARTET