Since its founding in 1988, the Leipzig String Quartet has garnered the attention of international critics and audiences with its distinctive, dark timbre and meticulously sculpted interpretations of a widely varied repertoire. Formed originally by the string principals of the renowned Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Quartet continues to uphold the principles of sound and integrity ascribed to this great orchestra. Called “one of the towering and most versatile quartets of our time” by the Neue Züricher Zeitung and lauded by The New York Times for presenting “rich, mellow, unadulterated beauty” and a true “Leipzig sound,” the Quartet is considered one of the world’s great chamber ensembles. After coaching by Gerhard Bosse, the Amadeus Quartet, Hatto Beyerle and Walter Levin, the Quartet went on to win numerous prizes and awards, such as the 1991 International ARD Munich Competition, and the Busch and Siemens prizes. Today, the Leipzig String Quartet has toured extensively throughout Europe, in Israel, Africa, North and South America, Australia, Japan, and Southeast Asia, including performances at many of the major festivals, often presenting its own thematic cycles (e.g. Schubert, Bach, contemporary composers). Since 1991, the Quartet has had its own “Pro Quatuor” series at the Leipzig Gewandhaus and the Berlin Philharmony, where it is currently offering a multi-year cycle featuring the great quartets of the First and Second Viennese School. Having released nearly 100 CD recordings of repertoire from Mozart to Cage, the Quartet has received tremendous recognition for each of these projects. The ensemble has performed worldwide and recorded with Alfred Brendel, Klaus-Maria Brandauer, Juliane Banse, Karl Leister, Michael Sanderling, Menahem Pressler, Joseph Kalichstein, Christian Zacharias, Christiane Oelze, Olaf Bär, Marc-André Hamelin, and acclaimed klezmer clarinettist Giora Feidman, among many others