The Graffe String Quartet, ranking today among the best Czech quartets of the younger generation, was founded in 1997. Already during the studies of its members at the Brno Conservatory and at the Music Faculty of the Janaček Academy of Performing Arts, they won several prizes from international competitions (International Interpretational Competition Beethovenuv Hradec, Czech Republic, 1999; International Chamber Ensemble Competition ACT , London, 2003; International Competition ‚Verfemte Musik‘, Schwerin, Germany, 2005). For their performance of Leos Janacek‘s quartets, they have been twice rewarded by the Leos Janacek Foundation Prize (2001, 2003). In 2005, they were honored by a special prize from the French association Forum Voix Etouffés. Since the academic studies of the Graffe Quartet members, their artistic growth has been supported e.g. by Prof. Adolf Sykora (The Janacek Quartet) and, recently, also by Prof. Jerry Horner ( the famous Fine Arts Quartet, USA). The quartet participated repeatedly in several international chamber music courses, where they had an opportunity to be tutored by such distinguished artists as Günter Pichler (Alban Berg Quartett, Vienna), Norbert Brainin and Siegmund Nissel (Amadeus Quartet, London), László Mezö (Bartók Quartet, Budapest), Milan Škampa (Smetanovo kvarteto, Prague) and others. The Graffe Quartet appeared at hundreds of concerts in their homeland, in many European countries and in the USA. The ensemble‘s recordings have been obtained by several broadcasting companies in Europe and America. At their concerts the ensemble has performed the classical quartet repertoire as well as many world premieres of contemporary Czech and world composers (e.g. M. Štědroň, M. Slimáček, W. Schulze, H. Neumann, Páll P. Pálsson etc.).

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Update: October 6, 2009