Bennewitz Quartet

The internationally renowned Bennewitz Quartet have won the prestigious Osaka International Music Competition (2005) and the Prémio Paolo Borciani in Reggio Emilia, Italy (2008), and gained universal critical acclaim. Back in 2006, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote: “…what was remarkable about their performance was not only the clear structuring of the music, but also the lovely tone painting and pure intonation. Very seldom does one hear harmony so skilfully and effectively played… Great artistry.” The ensemble have also garnered coveted accolades at home: in 2004, the Bennewitz Quartet was a laureate of the Czech Chamber Music Society; in 2019, they received the Classic Prague Award for the best chamber music performance of the year.

The most recent highlights include concerts at major venues worldwide (Wigmore Hall in London, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, the Frick Collection in New York, the Seoul Art Center, the Rudolfinum in Prague, etc.), and appearances at significant events (the Salzburger Festspiele, Lucerne Festival, Rheingau Musik Festival, Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus, Dvořák Prague, Prague Spring, etc.). The ensemble have worked with such outstanding musicians as Alexander Melnikov, Vadim Gluzman, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Krzysztof Chorzelski, Danjulo Ishizaka and Pietro de Maria.

Since 1998, the quartet have borne the name of the violinist Antonín Bennewitz (1833–1926), who played a key role in the emergence of a specifically Czech violin tradition, and whose pupils included Otakar Ševčík and František Ondříček, as well as Karel Hoffmann, Josef Suk and Oskar Nedbal, members of the celebrated Czech Quartet.

Jakub Fišer – first violin, Štěpán Ježek – second violin, Jiří Pinkas – viola, Štěpán Doležal – cello

www.bennewitzquartet.com