PARISII QUARTET

from Paris

" . . .fresh intensity and expressive panache . . . " -The Los Angeles Times

UPCOMING TOURS:
March 1-16, 2008
October 22-Noevember 10, 2008

click here for the artists' website

Arnaud Vallin, violin
Jean-Michel Berrette, violin
Dominique Lobet, viola
Jean-Philippe Martignoni, cello

Formed in l984 by four prize-winning graduates of the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris, the Parisii Quartet won early acclaim with its triumphs at three major international competitions: Banff (1986), Munich (1987) and Evian (1987). Invitations followed from the major concert halls and festivals of Europe, and the Parisii has since
toured regularly throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. Highlights of the Parisii's recent European seasons include concerts in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Edinburgh, Lausanne, Barcelona, and Madrid. Much in demand in Paris, the Parisii has been featured in a presentation of all the Haydn quartets at the Opéra de la Bastille, performed all of the Beethoven string quartets at the Salle Gaveau and appeared frequently at the Musée d'Orsay.

In January, 1995, the ensemble made an extraordinarily successful 17-concert debut tour of the United States. On its most recent North American tour in 2002, the Parisii appeared in Los Angeles, San Diego, Toronto and Miami. Other U.S. tours have included performances in Washington, New York, New Orleans, Baltimore, Cleveland, and St. Louis. The Parisii made its debut in East Asia in the fall of 1993, with concerts in Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo, and has returned to the Far East twice since then. The Quartet has also made several tours of South America.

Noted for its performances of distinctive and unusual repertoire of the l8th, l9th and 20th centuries, the Parisii has distinguished itself with award-winning recordings of intriguing works by such French composers as Menu, PiernŽ and Tailleferre, as well as the complete works for string quartet by Anton Webern. The Parisii has recently recorded the 16 string quartets of Milhaud, which won the Grand Prix Charles Cros, and made the first-ever recording of Le livre pour quatuor by Pierre Boulez, and in the spring of 2003, Decca released its recordings of the complete works for string quartet by William Sheller.