New Zealand String Quartet
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand String Quartet (est. 1987) is New Zealand
’s only full time string quartet
. The current formation of musicians consisting of Helene Pohl (1st violin), Douglas Beilman (2nd violin), Gillian Ansell (viola) and Rolf Gjelsten (cello) was established in 1994.
The Quartet performs more than eighty concerts a year in New Zealand and international locations. Performances include international festivals such as the Festival of the Sound, Parry Sound, Ontario, Music Mountain Summer Chamber Music Festival in Lakeville, Connecticut and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music
in Townsville, Queensland. The quartet is also involved in the Nelson Chamber Music Festival in New Zealand and has been the Quartet-in-Residence at Victoria University, Wellington, since 1991.
In 2010, the quartet released the third and final CD of a compilation series of Mendelssohn
’s string quartets for Naxos Records
. Other CDs have included works by New Zealand composers for Atoll Records and the complete string quartets of Béla Bartók
. They have also been recorded by CBC in Canada, ABC in Australia, Deutsche Welle and Radio New Zealand.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
’s only full time string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
. The current formation of musicians consisting of Helene Pohl (1st violin), Douglas Beilman (2nd violin), Gillian Ansell (viola) and Rolf Gjelsten (cello) was established in 1994.
The Quartet performs more than eighty concerts a year in New Zealand and international locations. Performances include international festivals such as the Festival of the Sound, Parry Sound, Ontario, Music Mountain Summer Chamber Music Festival in Lakeville, Connecticut and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music
Australian Festival of Chamber Music
The Australian Festival of Chamber Music is a ten-day international festival focused on chamber music but also featuring tours of regional and remote Australia, fine food, master classes for musicians and lecture series by international scientists themed on the Great Barrier Reef.20 to 30 chamber...
in Townsville, Queensland. The quartet is also involved in the Nelson Chamber Music Festival in New Zealand and has been the Quartet-in-Residence at Victoria University, Wellington, since 1991.
In 2010, the quartet released the third and final CD of a compilation series of Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn
Mendelson is a Polish/German Jewish family name, meaning "son of Mendel", Mendel being a Yiddish diminutive of the Hebrew given name Menahem, meaning "consoling" or "one who consoles".Mendelssohn is the surname of a number of people:...
’s string quartets for Naxos Records
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
. Other CDs have included works by New Zealand composers for Atoll Records and the complete string quartets of Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
. They have also been recorded by CBC in Canada, ABC in Australia, Deutsche Welle and Radio New Zealand.