ENSEMBLE · STRING QUARTET
Aviv Quartet
Switzerland
A crossroads of dialogue and refuge 6 continents
International tours worldwide La Dolce Volta
Recording artist ABOUT
Founded in 1997, the Aviv Quartet has established itself as one of the most compelling chamber ensembles of its generation, celebrated for performances of exceptional clarity, emotional depth, and expressive refinement. Officially based in Geneva for more than fifteen years, the quartet is proudly rooted in Switzerland, where all four musicians live and actively contribute to the country’s vibrant cultural life. The ensemble has appeared at many of the world’s leading concert halls and festivals, including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, Library of Congress in Washington, Wigmore Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London, Vienna Konzerthaus, Cologne Philharmonie, the Sydney Opera House, Théâtre de la Ville and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, among many others. International tours have brought the ensemble throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia, and South Africa.
The Quartet’s artistry has been recognized through numerous international awards and prizes, including distinctions at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, and the Franz Schubert Competition. The ensemble studied extensively with members of the Alban Berg Quartet, while also working closely with the Amadeus, Juilliard, Emerson, and Ysaÿe Quartets, as well as artists including Isaac Stern, Leon Fleisher, Arnold Steinhardt, and Paul Katz.
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Inspired by Switzerland’s longstanding history as a crossroads of international dialogue and refuge, the Aviv Quartet seeks to embody through music a vision of openness, peace, and human connection. Central to the Quartet’s artistic identity is a hermeneutic approach to music making: a deep engagement with the meaning of a work through attentive listening, study, and interpretation. Rather than imposing subjective narratives or relying solely on historical convention, the quartet approaches each score as a living text whose meaning must be brought to light through the music itself. This search for unity between the composer’s gesture, the performers’ gesture, and the listener’s experience shapes the ensemble’s rehearsal process, programming choices, and artistic collaborations.
The Aviv Quartet is particularly drawn to works of strong existential resonance, music that speaks directly to contemporary experience and illuminates enduring human questions. Their acclaimed recordings, including projects pairing Beethoven with Steve Reich, reflect this commitment to repertoire that combines structural rigor with emotional and philosophical depth. Recordings for Naxos and other labels featuring works by Shostakovich, Schulhoff, Hoffmeister, Dohnányi, and Schubert have been praised for their freshness, precision, and vibrant musicianship.
The Quartet’s name, Aviv, derives from the Hebrew word for “spring,” evoking renewal, vitality, and return to origins. The ensemble continues to embrace the name as an expression of its artistic philosophy: a continual search for meaning, energy, and truth through music.
PRESS & REVIEWS
What the critics say
“It is the sophistication of the Aviv's phrasing and penchant for communicating a sense of affectionate poise and ease that proves so delightfully engaging.”
— The Strad
Discography
Recordings
VIDEOS
Videos
2027-28
Programs & Repertoire
Program One
- Haydn String Quartet in C major, Op. 54, No. 2
- Webern Five Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5
- Intermission
- Beethoven String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131
Program Two
- Schubert Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703
- Bartók String Quartet No. 3
- Kurtág Officium breve in memoriam Andreae Szervánszky, Op. 28
- Intermission
- Beethoven String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2 (or Ravel: String Quartet in F major)