Biography
The Kuss Quartet ranks among Germany's most enduring and respected chamber groups. Though grounded in core repertoire, the ensemble has pursued experimental approaches that include thematic programs blending genres and performances staged in relaxed spaces like popular nightclubs. Its classical lounge series "Kuss Plus" has maintained strong appeal on the Berlin circuit for years.
The name honors first violinist Jana Kuss rather than any amorous notion. She and violinist Oliver Wille launched the quartet in 1991 as students at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Violist William Coleman and cellist Mikayel Hakhnazaryan joined in 2008. Elite training in Germany came from mentors such as the Alban Berg Quartet, and a high-profile debut occurred in 1993 at the residence of President Richard von Weizsäcker.
Major prizes soon accumulated, beginning with first place at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in Canada in 2001. Paul Katz of the Cleveland Quartet extended an invitation the next year for a course at the New England Conservatory in Boston. The Borletti-Buitoni Award followed, supplying generous fellowship resources. From the mid-2000s the quartet became a regular fixture on international series, performing across Europe, North and South America, and Japan. Collaborators have included clarinetist Paul Meyer, cellist Miklós Perényi, and soprano Mojca Erdmann. Venues have ranged from the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to Carnegie Hall in New York.
Especially striking partnerships have involved artists outside music. Actor Udo Samel has appeared with the group in programs fusing literature and sound. In 2020 the quartet joined the Nico and the Navigators troupe for "Force and Freedom," a Beethoven presentation that incorporated dancers and multimedia imagery. On its own the ensemble devised the "Explica" series, in which members both discuss and perform the works, and created formats suited to informal sites such as Berlin's Watergate nightclub. Recordings have appeared on Sony Classical and Onyx; the latter label issued a 2019 account of Mieczyslaw Weinberg's Piano Quintet with pianist Olga Scheps.
The name honors first violinist Jana Kuss rather than any amorous notion. She and violinist Oliver Wille launched the quartet in 1991 as students at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Violist William Coleman and cellist Mikayel Hakhnazaryan joined in 2008. Elite training in Germany came from mentors such as the Alban Berg Quartet, and a high-profile debut occurred in 1993 at the residence of President Richard von Weizsäcker.
Major prizes soon accumulated, beginning with first place at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in Canada in 2001. Paul Katz of the Cleveland Quartet extended an invitation the next year for a course at the New England Conservatory in Boston. The Borletti-Buitoni Award followed, supplying generous fellowship resources. From the mid-2000s the quartet became a regular fixture on international series, performing across Europe, North and South America, and Japan. Collaborators have included clarinetist Paul Meyer, cellist Miklós Perényi, and soprano Mojca Erdmann. Venues have ranged from the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to Carnegie Hall in New York.
Especially striking partnerships have involved artists outside music. Actor Udo Samel has appeared with the group in programs fusing literature and sound. In 2020 the quartet joined the Nico and the Navigators troupe for "Force and Freedom," a Beethoven presentation that incorporated dancers and multimedia imagery. On its own the ensemble devised the "Explica" series, in which members both discuss and perform the works, and created formats suited to informal sites such as Berlin's Watergate nightclub. Recordings have appeared on Sony Classical and Onyx; the latter label issued a 2019 account of Mieczyslaw Weinberg's Piano Quintet with pianist Olga Scheps.
Albums
