New Hellenic Quartet

The New Hellenic Quartet, founded in 1991, is widely regarded as Greece’s leading chamber ensemble. Their repertoire includes both classical string quartets and works by Greek composers. The Quartet has performed extensively in Europe, participating in renowned festivals such as Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Beethoven Festwochen in Bonn, Vaughan Williams Festival in London, Music Harvest 2000 in Odense, and the International Symposium Schönberg in Berlin and Vienna.

In 1999, marking the 50th anniversary of Nikos Skalkottas’ death, the Quartet, supported by the Foundation for Hellenic Culture, embarked on a European tour, presenting Skalkottas’ string quartets in cities such as London, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stockholm, and Belgrade.

In 2000, the ensemble performed the complete works of the distinguished Greek composers Yorgos Sicilianos and Dimitris Dragatakis at the Athens Megaron, with both composers dedicating their final works to the Quartet. The following year, they received the “Great Prize for Music” from the Union of Greek Critics for Music and Drama. In recent years, the Quartet has undertaken major tours in China, the U.S., Brazil, and throughout Europe, including a complete performance of Beethoven’s quartets in Athens in 2006.

Their discography includes all of Nikos Skalkottas’ and Yorgos Sicilianos’ quartets, as well as the early works of Carl Nielsen. These recordings have garnered international praise, with Skalkottas’ quartets being listed among the BBC’s top 100 music choices. Their recording of Respighi’s quartets was named a “reference recording” by Klassik.com and selected as Strad magazine’s chamber music CD of the month in October 2006.

Source: Thessaloniki Concert Hall