ASASELLO QUARTET

The Asasello Quartet was founded in 2000 in Basel, where its members were studying at the time. The Quartet's interpretations are exciting and spirited, and the four young musicians aim for more than merely entertaining their audience with their conclusive programmes, always ranging from classic, romantic pieces to the modern repertoire - they wish to inspire a more profound contemplation of music. " In their sensitive hands, every minor progression turns into an event, every characterisation opens a new world to spellbound listeners" was the Basler Zeitung's comment on a concert in February 2008.

Having concluded their studies in Basel with a major in chamber music, the Quartet relocated to Cologne in August 2003 and continued to study with the renowned Alban Berg Quartet. After the diploma for chamber music and contemporary music in Cologne, the musicians continued their musical education with Christophe Desjardins, Paris, and Chaim Taub, Tel Aviv. 

Winning the first prize of the Migros Kulturporzent competition 2003 in Zurich was the starting point for further international concerts. Its tours have since taken the Quartet to Hungary, Russia, the Netherlands, and England. 2009 the Asasello Quartet was among the winners of the first International Chamber Music Competition in Hamburg, ICMC.

Their appearance at the 2007 MusikTriennale festival in Cologne was followed by their debut in London's Wigmore Hall in November 2007. Thanks to another invitation to the Heidelberger Frühling music festival, the Asasello Quartet will perform the Schumann quintet with Ragna Schirmer, Barbers "Dover Beach" with Thomas Hampson and Mendelssohn Octet with the Gemeaux Quartet at Heidelberger Frühling 2010 and pieces by Matthias Pintscher and Atac Sezer. In summer 2008, the Quartet took on artistic directorship of "Musiktage Fafleralp" in the Swiss Lötschental valley. The programme included, among others, the premiere of a string quartet by Rostivlav Kojevnikov. 2010 the "Musiktage Fafleralp" expect many new listeners and Rostislav Kojevnikov, Barbara Kuster, Justyna Sliwa and Wolfgang Zamastil promise again interesting programs and the unique atmosphere in the swiss Alps. 

In Cologne ASASELLO has startet its own series of concerts "1:1, schon gehört?", so called "xs" concerts, where the musicians play but two pieces, a confrontation of contemporary and classical romantic repertoire. The idea which attract also a younger public is supportet by the "Kulturamt der Stadt Köln" and the "RheinEnergie Stiftung".

With the major project called "4 PAYSAGES - 4 LANDSCHAFTEN" supported by the foundations "Kunststiftung NRW", "Kulturstiftung Pro Helvetia" and "Stiftung PIROLO" the quartet made a three weeks tour through Siberia. This year ASASELLO is invited with the PAYSAGES-programme to the Gorczycki festival in Poland.

The musicians' personal contact with composers like Helmut Lachenmann, Wolfgang Rihm, Thomas Adès, Christoph Staude, Matthias Pintscher, Sergej Newski, Aleksandra Gryka, Kaija Saariaho, Toshio Hosakawa, Elzbieta Sikora, and others, has left a distinctive mark on them; it is a pronounced goal for them to dispel the reservations many concertgoers have towards contemporary music.

Ever since the Quartet concluded their studies in Cologne in 2006 as well as their subsequent postgraduate studies of contemporary classical music in autumn 2007, the charm of the Quartet's performances has been based on the direct, intense and confident way they interpret music, and on the intelligent selection of music for their repertoire. Individuality and personal feeling transfuse to concert listeners, banning them, and become "an all-disarming power" (Der Landbote newspaper, January 2008).


Date: January 2010