"The whole performance was superb," says The New York Times. Originally formed in Shanghai more than 20 years ago, this versatile ensemble is known for their passionate musicality, impressive technique, and multicultural innovations. The Quartet's elegant style of melding the delicacy of Eastern music with Western repertoire allows them to travel the genres, from traditional Chinese folk music to Brahms, Schubert, and new commissions by Lowell Lieberman and Bright Sheng, among others.

The Shanghai Quartet has performed on the world's most prominent concert stages, and regularly tours the great music centers of Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Recent seasons have included tours of Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. As part of their 20th Anniversary tour, the Quartet performed the "Beethoven Project: East Meets West;" the complete Beethoven string quartets in six concerts around the world. This tour included the first performance ever in China of the complete Beethoven quartet cycle.

The Shanghai Quartet has a long history of championing new music. Projects include a commission with Chamber Music America, and a premiere of Lowell Lieberman's Quartet in honor of the National Federation of Music Clubs' 100th Anniversary. Among others, they commissioned a new work from Bright Sheng for the University of Richmond and the Freer Gallery to celebrate their 10th Anniversary. In addition to performing the Beethoven cycle at Kasser Theater, the Quartet’s performances this season include appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, among many other prestigious engagements on three continents. Their repertoire will span Eastern and Western sounds, and range from contemporary works by Ligeti, Bright Sheng, and Zhou Long (Poems from Tang) to traditional works by Schubert, Brahms, and Mozart. They are premiering a commission by the young American Composer, Takuma Itoh, with the New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall.

Recording for several labels, the Quartet has built an extensive discography that now totals 20 recordings. Recently, the Quartet released two discs: Mendelssohn Octet (Camerata), and Zhou Long's Poems from Tang for Quartet and Orchestra (BIS). In 2003, the Quartet released its most popular disc to date: A 24-track collection of Chinese folk songs, titled ChinaSong, featuring music arranged by Yi-Wen Jiang reflecting childhood memories of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Their current project includes the recording of the complete Beethoven string quartets to be released during their 25th Anniversary season. The Shanghai Quartet performed the Bartók Quartet No. 4 on screen and for the soundtrack recording in the Woody Allen film, Melinda and Melinda, which was released in the spring of 2005.

The Quartet has a distinguished teaching record. They serve as the Quartet-in-Residence at Montclair State University in New Jersey. They also serve as visiting professors at the Shanghai Conservatory and the Central Conservatory in China. The Quartet has made regular appearances at Carnegie Hall, and also served as ensemble-in-residence at the Tanglewood and Ravinia Festivals. They have made appearances at Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival and on PBS's Great Performers television series. The Quartet also appears regularly on National Public Radio.

OUTSIDE LINK
www.shanghaiquartet.com

SHANGHAI GUEST ARTISTS
October concert:
Andreas Diaz, cello
Melvin Chen, viola

February concert:
Gary Graffman, piano