The young dynamic Viano Quartet traces the evolution of the string quartet, from classical elegance to modern complexity. It opens with Haydn’s Quartet in D Major, Hob. III:79, Op. 76, No. 5, a lively and inventive work by the "father" of the string quartet, whose wit and mastery of form define the genre. Next is Mendelssohn’s Quartet in D Major, Op. 44, No. 1, blending lyrical beauty with energetic drive, showcasing the composer’s Romantic expressiveness. Webern’s Langsamer Satz for String Quartet offers lush, expressive lines from the Austrian composer, known for his atonal works but here showcasing his lyrical side. The program concludes with Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 117, a poignant, emotionally charged work that deepens the string quartet form with the composer’s signature depth and complexity.
Program
Joseph Haydn
(1732–1809)Quartet in D major for Strings, Hob. III:79, Op. 76, No. 5
(1797)Felix Mendelssohn
(1809–1847)Quartet in D major for Strings, Op. 44, No. 1
(1838)Anton Webern
(1883-1945)Langsamer Satz for String Quartet
(1905)Dmitri Shostakovich
(1906–1975)Quartet No. 9 in E-flat major for Strings, Op. 117
(1964)
Viano Quartet
Praised for their “virtuosity, visceral expression, and rare unity of intention” (Boston Globe), the Viano Quartet has quickly soared to international acclaim as one of the most dynamic and in-demand string quartets of their generation. Winners of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2025, the ensemble has captivated audiences worldwide ever since they were awarded First Prize at the 13th Banff International String Quartet Competition, with appearances at renowned venues such as Lincoln Center, Berlin’s Konzerthaus, Toronto’s Koerner Hall, Hong Kong’s City Hall, and London’s Wigmore Hall. The Viano Quartet are members of CMS’s Bowers Program from 2024 to 2027.
Highlights of the Quartet’s 2025–26 season include debut performances at London’s Southbank Centre, the Frick Collection in New York, Dublin’s National Concert Hall, Coast Live Music, Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City, Apex Concerts, the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, the Fortas Series at the Kennedy Center, Premiere Performances HK, and a mainstage full recital debut at CMS. The quartet also makes return appearances at Stanford Live, Forte Chamber Music, the Beaches Fine Arts Series, the Buffalo Chamber Music Society’s Slee Series (for the second half of their Beethoven cycle), Chamber Music Albuquerque, and the Sanibel Music Festival. The Quartet looks forward to visiting residencies this season at Stanford University through the St. Lawrence Legacy Series, the University of Victoria, Music in the Morning in Vancouver, and the Auditorium Chamber Music Series at the University of Idaho. This season also features collaborations with mandolinist Avi Avital, pianist Sir Stephen Hough, pianist Gilbert Kalish, clarinetist Anthony McGill, guitarist Miloš Karadaglic, and singer-songwriter Vienna Teng.
Equally committed to both beloved masterworks and contemporary repertoire, the Viano Quartet actively collaborates with today’s leading composers, including Sir Stephen Hough, Kevin Lau, Chris Rogerson, and Caroline Shaw. They are set to premiere a newly written string quartet by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail in the summer of 2026. Their first full-length album, Voyager, was released in summer 2025 with Apple Music/Platoon Records, and features Beethoven’s Op. 130 alongside Alistair Coleman’s Moonshot. Their debut EP Portraits was released in 2023 as one of the first albums to be launched on the Curtis Studio label, featuring works by Schubert, Florence Price, Tchaikovsky, and Ginastera.
The Viano Quartet was formed in Los Angeles at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in 2015. Each member of the quartet is grateful for the unwavering support from their mentors at the Curtis Institute and Colburn Conservatory, including members of the Dover, Guarneri, and Tokyo string quartets.