Saint Petersburg String Quartet
The St. Petersburg String Quartet, originally founded as the Leningrad String Quartet in 1985, is a highly acclaimed Russian string quartet recognized for its exceptional performances and recordings of works by composers such as Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Prokofiev, and Glazunov. The ensemble has released recordings on prestigious labels including Sony, Melodiya, Hyperion, Delos, Dorian, and Marquis.
The quartet's rise to international prominence was marked by victories in several prestigious competitions, including the 1st Prize at the All-Soviet Union String Quartet Competition, the Silver Medal and Special Prize at the Tokyo International Chamber Music Competition, and 1st Prize with both Special Prizes at the Vittorio Gui International Competition for Chamber Ensembles in Florence, Italy. They also secured First Prize and the "Grand Prix Musica Viva" at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.
Renowned for their compelling interpretations, the St. Petersburg String Quartet has been lauded as the "natural successor to the Borodin Quartet's crown" by The Sunday Times and has received "Best Record" honors from Stereo Review and Gramophone. Their illustrious career includes a Grammy nomination, a five-year residency at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and another at Wichita State University. They have performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Library of Congress, and have appeared at numerous festivals including Music Mountain, Rockport, and Mainly Mozart in San Diego.
The quartet has toured extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia, performing in countries such as Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Israel, Ireland, and the U.K. Their European tours have included performances at iconic venues like Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, London's Wigmore Hall, and Moscow's Conservatory Grand Hall.
In 2009, the quartet established the St. Petersburg International Music Academy, now known as the Leopold Auer Music Festival, an intensive summer program for students in the USA and Mexico. After a hiatus during the COVID pandemic, the quartet relaunched in 2022 with two new members, Ned Kellenberger and Sascha Groschang, joining Boris Vayner and founding member Alla Aranovskaya.