HAYDN: String Quartet in A major, Op. 20 No. 6, Hob. III:36
BARTÓK: String Quartet No. 5 in B-flat major
SMETANA: String Quartet No. 1 in E minor, “From My Life”
SIMPLY QUARTET
Danfeng Shen, violin
Antonia Rankersberger, violin
Xiang Lyu, viola
Ivan Valentin Hollup Roald, cello
The extensive repertoire of the Simply Quartet spans from early Classical works to recent compositions by living composers.
In their constant pursuit of utmost authenticity, the four musicians immerse themselves in the thorough study of scores, decoding the musical text with great curiosity.
The current formation of the quartet was consolidated during studies at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, where the musicians worked closely with their most important mentor, Johannes Meissl.
The quartet was founded in Shanghai, where Jensen Horn-Sin Lam supported the ensemble from its inception.
Other fundamental mentors include Hatto Beyerle and Patrick Jüdt (European Chamber Music Academy / ECMA), Günter Pichler, and Gerhard Schulz (Alban Berg Quartet).
The Simply Quartet has won the First Prize at four prestigious international chamber music competitions:
Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition (2019)
Quatuor à Bordeaux (2019)
International Chamber Music Competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music (2018)
7th Joseph Haydn International Chamber Music Competition (2017)
In the 2021/22 season, the Simply Quartet was selected for the ECHO Rising Stars project, with debuts in some of Europe’s most important concert halls.
Currently, the quartet is a regular guest at the Wigmore Hall in London, the Philharmonie Luxembourg, the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, BOZAR Brussels, and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, as well as at renowned festivals such as the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg.
They have also toured Colombia and China.
In the current season, the quartet is scheduled to perform at the Philharmonie Berlin, the Wigmore Hall London, Flagey Brussels, the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, and the Louvre Paris.
Additionally, starting in autumn 2024, the quartet has begun teaching as Guest Professors at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM).
Danfeng Shen plays a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin (1753), kindly provided by the MERITO String Instruments Trust GmbH.
Antonia Rankersberger plays a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin (“ex Beare – ex Tetzlaff”, Turin, 1776), on loan from the Austrian National Bank.
Xiang Lyu plays a viola by Edgar Russ (2010).
Ivan Valentin Hollup Roald plays a Giovanni Battista Ceruti cello (1801), generously loaned by a private collector.
