Belcea Quartet

String Quartet

Corina Belcea
Violin
Suyeon Kang
Violin
Krzysztof Chorzelski
Viola
Antoine Lederlin
Cello
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Biography

"The most striking thing […] was its spirit of freedom"
Passion, coupled with precision, unheard-of expressivity and pure emotion characterize the concerts of the Belcea Quartet. With the Romanian violinist Corina Belcea, the Korean-Australian
Suyeon Kang on second violin, the Polish violist Krzysztof Chorzelski and the French cellist Antoine Lederlin, four different artistic provenances meet and unite to create unique excellence.
„The Belcea Quartet plays concerts for eternity”Hamburger Abendblatt, March 2023
The ensemble’s repertoire spans Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven to Bartok, Janacek to Szymanowski. They also continue to introduce new works by current composers to the audience such as Julian
Anderson (2024), Guillaume Connesson (2023), Joseph Phibbs (2018), Krzysztof Penderecki (2016), Thomas Larcher (2015) and Mark-Anthony Turnage (2014 & 2010). These commissioned works are created in association with the Belcea Quarte Trust, the quartet's own foundation, whose aim is to continually broaden the string quartet literature as well as to support young quartets through concentrated joint coaching sessions. In this way they can also pass on to the next generation the experience they gained as students of the Amadeus & Alban Berg Quartet.

In addition to the complete recordings of the String Quartets by Bartók, Beethoven, Brahms (Diapason d'or de l'année 2016) and Britten, the quartet’s wide-ranging discography includes works by Berg, Dutilleux, Mozart, Schoenberg, Schubert, Shostakovich, Janáček & Ligeti (among others). In spring 2022, Alpha Classics released the two String Sextets by Brahms performed with Tabea Zimmermann and Jean-Guihen Queyras. Their performances of all Beethoven String Quartets at the Konzerthaus Vienna in 2012 were released on DVD by EuroArts in 2014, followed by the release of a recording of Britten's three
String Quartets in 2015.

During its time as the 2017-2020 ensemble in residence of the Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, the quartet fostered its artistic relationship with the hall - a connection which, through their regular performances, remains visible until this day. At the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Belcea Quartet has been part of a shared string quartet series since 2010, which they have been organising together with Quatuor Ébène since the 2021/22 season.

A special highlight is the quartet's collaboration with Barbara Hannigan in the 2025/2026 season, where they will be touring Europe with works by Schönberg and Hindemith. The quartet will also
perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Auditorio National de Música CNDM Madrid, Dvorak Hall at the Rudolfinum in Prague, as well as at the string quartet
biennials in Paris and Amsterdam, to name a few.

Instruments

Corina Belcea - Violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (1755) kindly on loan from MERITO String Instruments Trusts Vienna
Suyeon Kang - custom-made violin by Julia Maria Pasch
Krzysztof Chorzelski - Viola by Nicola Amati (ca. 1670)
Antoine Lederlin - Cello by Matteo Gofriller (1722) kindly on loan from MERITO String Instruments Trusts Vienna

2025/2026
„No other recent performances surpass these for their mellifluous blend of sound and the naturalness with which the six players allow the music to flow, not too emphatic, but always giving the music its full weight and significance. The music glows, as Brahms surely intended it should.”Financial Times, March 2022
This biography is to be reproduced without any changes, omissions or additions, unless expressly authorized by artist management.
Contacts: Linda Uschinski, Ramona Wiener

Images

Programme

2026 / 2027

You’ll find the current programs in the IMPRESARIUM of the 26/27 season

2025 / 2026

Schedule

16/02/2026
20:30 h
Teatro Carlo Felice
Genova, Italy
Belcea Quartet
17/02/2026
20:30 h
Belcea Quartet
18/02/2026
20:30 h
Teatro Regio
Parma, Italy
Belcea Quartet
21/02/2026
20:00 h
Yulianna Avdeeva, Belcea Quartet
22/02/2026
16:00 h
Pierre Boulez Saal
Berlin, Germany
Yulianna Avdeeva, Belcea Quartet
24/02/2026
19:30 h
Yulianna Avdeeva, Belcea Quartet
25/02/2026
19:30 h
Belcea Quartet, Yulianna Avdeeva
25/02/2026
19:30 h
Yulianna Avdeeva, Belcea Quartet
26/02/2026
19:30 h
Belcea Quartet
12/03/2026
19:30 h
Konzerthaus Dortmund
Dortmund, Germany
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
13/03/2026
20:00 h
DeSingel, concert hall
Antwerpen, Belgium
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
14/03/2026
19:00 h
Pierre Boulez Saal
Berlin, Germany
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
16/03/2026
20:00 h
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
17/03/2026
19:30 h
Wigmore Hall
London, United Kingdom
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
19/03/2026
19:30 h
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
21/03/2026
19:30 h
Stadthalle Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
28/04/2026
20:00 h
Salle Molière
Lyon, France
Belcea Quartet
29/04/2026
19:30 h
Belcea Quartet
04/05/2026
20:00 h
Belcea Quartet
24/05/2026
20:00 h
Belcea Quartet, Barbara Hannigan
28/05/2026
19:30 h
August-Everding-Saal
Grünwald, Germany
Belcea Quartet, Tabea Zimmermann
29/05/2026
19:30 h
Belcea Quartet, Tabea Zimmermann
04/06/2026
19:30 h
Salle del Castillo
Vevey, Switzerland
Belcea Quartet, Tabea Zimmermann

Discography

Debussy & Szymanowski
Claude Debussy
String Quartet, Op. 10

Karol Szymanowski
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 37
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 56

The complete Warner Classics Edition 2000 - 2009
Album I
DEBUSSY, DUTILLEUX & RAVEL String Quartets

Album II
SCHUBERT String Quartets Nos. 13 “Rosamunde”, 12 “Quartettsatz” & 10

Album III
BRAHMS String Quartet No. 1 · String Quintet No. 2

Album IV
BRITTEN String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 · 3 Divertimenti

Album V
BRITTEN String Quartet No. 3 · FAURÉ La bonne chanson · BARBER & BUTTERWORTH Songs

Album VI
SCHUBERT Piano Quintet “The Trout”

Album VII
MOZART String Quartets Nos. 19 “Dissonance” & 20 “Hoffmeister”

Album VIII
BARTÓK String Quartets Nos. 1, 3 & 5

Album IX
BARTÓK String Quartets Nos. 2, 4 & 6

Album X
SCHUBERT String Quintet · String Quartet No. 15 (I.)

Album XI
SCHUBERT String Quartets Nos. 15 (II-IV.) & 14 “Death and the Maiden”

Belcea Quartet
Corina Belcea, violin
Laura Samuel, violin (Album 1-5, 7-11)
Krzystof Chorzelski, viola
Alasdair Tait, cello (Album 1-7)
Antoine Lederlin, cello (Album 8-11)

with Thomas Kakuska, viola · Valentin Erben, cello · Thomas Adès, piano · Corin Long, double bass
Ian Bostridge, tenor · Jonathan Lemalu, bass-baritone

Janáček & Ligeti: Quartets
Leoš Janáček
String Quartet No. 1 `Kreutzer Sonata`
String Quartet No. 2 `Intimate Letters`

György Ligeti
String Quartet No. 1 `Métamorphoses Nocturnes`

Shostakovich: String Quartet & Piano Quintet
Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 3, Op. 73
Piano Quintet, Op. 57

Piotr Anderszewski - Piano

Brahms: The complete String Quartets & Piano Quintet
Johannes Brahms
String Quartet, Op. 51 No. 1
String Quartet, Op. 51 No. 2

String Quartet, Op. 67 No. 3
Piano Quintet, Op. 34

Till Fellner - Piano

Webern - Berg - Schönberg
Anton Webern
Slow Movement
Five Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5

Alban Berg
Lyric Suite for String Quartet

Arnold Schönberg
Transfigured Night, Op. 4

Nicolas Bone - Viola
Antonio Meneses - Cello

Britten: The complete String Quartets (DVD or Blu-ray Disc)
Benjamin Britten
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 25
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36
String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94

Beethoven: The complete String Quartets (DVD or Blu-ray Disc)
Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartets Nos 1-16

Beethoven: The complete String Quartets
Ludwig van Beethoven
Disc No. 1
String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 6
String Quartet, Op. 127
Disc No. 2
String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 2
String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 3
Disc No. 3
String Quartet, Op. 95
String Quartet, Op. 131
Disc No. 4
String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 1
String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 4
Disc No. 5
String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 3
String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 5
Grosse Fuge, Op. 133
Disc No. 6
String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 1
String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 2
Disc No. 7
String Quartet, Op. 74
String Quartet, Op. 130
Disc No. 8
String Quartet, Op. 132
String Quartet, Op. 135

Schubert: String Quartets & String Quintet
Franz Schubert
String Quintet, D 956
String Quartet No. 15, D 887
String Quartet No. 14, D 810, "Death and The Maiden"

Valentin Erben - Cello

Bartók: The complete String Quartets
Béla Bartók
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7 Sz 40
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17 Sz 67
String Quartet No. 3, Sz 80
String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91
String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102
String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114

Mozart: String Quartets
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
String Quartet, K 465
String Quartet, K 499

EMI Classics, 2006

Love blows as the wind blows
Roger Quilter
Four Shakespeare Songs, Op. 30
Who is Silvia?
When daffodils begin to peer
How should I your true love know?
Sigh no more, ladies

Samuel Barber
Dover Beach (to words from a Victorian poem by Matthew Arnold)

Benjamin Britten
Tit for Tat
A Song of Enchantment
Silver
Tit for Tat

Richard Rodney Bennett
Songs before Sleep
The Mouse and the Bumblebee (anon.)
Baby, baby, naughty baby (anon.)
As I walked by myself (attrib. Bernard Barton 1780-1840)

John Ireland
Santa Chiara - Palm Sunday; Naples
When lights go rolling round the sky

George Butterworth
Love blows as the wind blows
I In the year that's come and gone
II Life in her creaking shoes
III Fill a glass with golden wine

Gerald Finzi
Let us garlands bring - Five Shakespeare songs for Voice and Piano

William Bolcom
from Cabaret Songs
Song of Black Max (As told by the de Kooning Boys)
George
Waitin

Jonathan Lemalu - Bass baritone
Malcolm Martineau - Piano

EMI Classics, 2006

Britten: The complete String Quartets
Benjamin Britten
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 25
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36
String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94
Three Divertimenti for String Quartet (1936)

EMI Classics, 2005

Mélodies Françaises
Claude Debussy
"Fêtes galantes"

Gabriel Fauré
4 Songs, Op. 39: Fleur jetée
3 Songs, Op. 23: Les berceaux
Au bord de l'eau, Op. 81 No. 1
2 Songs, Op. 83: Prison
Clair de lune, Op. 46 No. 2
3 Songs, Op. 18: Nell

Francis Poulence
Montparnasse (Apollinaire)
Deux poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire, Op. 94: Dans le jardin d'Anna
Deux poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire, Op. 94: Allons plus vite
Deux poèmes de Louis Aragon: C
Deux poèmes de Louis Aragon: Fêtes galantes
Tel jour, telle nuit: Bonne journée
Tel jour, telle nuit: Une ruine coquille vide
Tel jour, telle nuit: Le front comme un drapeau perdu
Tel jour, telle nuit: Une roulotte couverte en tuiles
Tel jour, telle nuit: A toutes brides
Tel jour, telle nuit: Une herbe pauvre
Tel jour, telle nuit: Je n'ai envie que de t'aimer
Tel jour, telle nuit: Figure de force brûlante et farouche
Tel jour, telle nuit: Nous avons fait la nuit

Gabriel Fauré
"La bonne chanson"

Ian Bostridge - Tenor
Leon Bosch - Double bass
Julius Drake - Piano

EMI Classics, 2004

Brahms: String Quartet & String Quintet
Johannes Brahms
String Quartet, Op. 51 No. 1
String Quintet, Op. 111

Thomas Kakuska - Viola

EMI Classics, 2004

Schubert: String Quartets
Franz Schubert
String Quartet No. 13, Op. 29, D 804, "Rosamunde"
String Quartet No. 10, Op. 125, D 87

EMI Classics, 2003

French Music
Claude Debussy
String Quartet, Op. 10

Henri Dutilleux
String Quartet "Ainsi la Nuit"

Maurice Ravel
String Quartet in F major

EMI Classics, 2001

Janáček: The complete String Quartets
Leoš Janáček
String Quartet No. 1, "The Kreutzer Sonata"
String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters"

Videos

Belcea Quartet - Beethoven String Quartet, Op. 131
Belcea Quartet - Shostakovich String Quartet no.3

Contact

Linda Uschinski
Head of String Quartet Department
t: +49 (0)30 414 781 717
Ramona Wiener
Artist Coordinator
t: +49 (0)30 414 781 723