McGill International String Quartet Academy

The McGill International String Quartet Academy (MISQA) was created in 2010. The aim of the Academy is to invite to Montreal world-renowned professors who are, or have been, members of the most prestigious string quartets in the last forty years, to teach and share their experience with exceptional young string quartets from different countries. These quartets are all ensembles who also have been selected to participate in the most prestigious international string quartet competitions. The Academy also welcomes younger quartets, ensembles that aspire to follow in their colleagues’ footsteps.

August 12, 2018 – Opening Concert
TALICH Quartet
String Quartet no.14 K. 387 / W.A. Mozart
String Quartet no.1 / L. Janáček
String Quartet no.11 op.61 / A. Dvorák

The Talich Quartet has been evolving as part of a prestigious line of musicians for nearly fifty years, representing Czech musical art throughout the world. For several decades, the Talich Quartet has been recognized internationally as one of the world´s finest string quartets, and as the embodiment of the great Czech musical tradition. The Quartet was founded in 1964 by Jan Talich Sr. and named in honour of his uncle, the renowned conductor Václav Talich.
During the 1990s, there was a gradual change in personnel, rejuvenating the Quartet while continuing the tradition of its predecessors through involvement in a wide spectrum of musical engagements and recording activities. The quartet recordings have been highly praised and honoured through the years; La Dolce Vita label has acquired the entire discography of the Talich Quartet from the prestigious French label Calliope.

August 25, 2018 – Closing Concert
MECCORE Quartet
String Quartet no.1 op.37 / K. Szymanowski
String Quartet no.3 “Leaves of an unwritten Diary” / K. Penderecki
String Quartet op.10 / C. Debussy

Established in 2007, the Meccore String Quartet is one of Europe’s most compelling young ensembles, performing in all the prestigious concert halls and at the most important music festivals.
The quartet has received numerous awards at prestigious competitions and a number of international distinctions brought the quartet a nomination for the “Paszport Polityki” award for their “innovative approach to the music and for breaking the musical stereotypes”. Their second CD release was granted the “Supersonic Award” by classical music magazine “Pizzicato” and received two nomantions to the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry music award “Fryderyk 2016”.
The members of Meccore are also active professors, leading chamber music and violin classes at Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań and Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.

For the full list of concerts and quartets, visit: www.misqa.com