An international string quartet shuts down after 20 years

An international string quartet shuts down after 20 years

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norman lebrecht

December 13, 2017

The Enso quartet has decided that this will be their final season.

The news is buried in a PR-tweaked announcement of a player replacement:

The Ensō String Quartet is excited to announce that Susie Park has joined the quartet for the 2017-18 season. For those not familiar with Susie’s playing, she is the outstanding former member of the Eroica Trio, and she is First Associate Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra. Not only is she a phenomenal violinist and musician, she is also a dear friend who we’ve loved playing with in the past, and we’re all excited to explore some of the most treasured quartet works together through this upcoming season. Susie is replacing Yura Lee, who was with us for the 2016-17 season.

The Ensō String Quartet had its roots at Yale University in 1998, when four like-minded students with a love of quartet playing began rehearsing together. Nearly twenty years and several member changes later, this incredibly rich and treasured journey is coming to an end. It has been a difficult decision to reach, but ultimately we all feel it’s the right one. Our love for what we’re doing has not dimmed, nor has any of our deep respect, admiration and appreciation for each of our colleagues. Life has simply grown in too many different directions for us to continue to grow as an ensemble. We will be playing our last concerts together in the summer of 2018.

The quartet has recorded for Naxos and Albany.

Comments

  • Steve says:

    The Enso is a great quartet. I heard them play many memorable performances (with Maureen Nelson, now in St Paul, as their first violinist) while they were the quartet in residence at Interlochen during various past summers.Their recording of the Verdi and Strauss string quartets together with Puccini’s Crisantemi, and their recording of the Ginastera quartets, are wonderful.

    To the Enso members: thank you for the memories and may you have great success and happiness in the next phase of your lives.

  • Michael Endres says:

    I remember a wonderful tour through New Zealand with them. We had tremendous fun playing together and traveling through stunningly beautiful landscapes !
    Tempi passati !

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