Skazka Kwartet

The Skazka Kwartet, founded in 2020, is a new addition to the Dutch quartet landscape. Skazka (скáзка) means fairytale in Russian, and this reflects what the quartet aims for: telling stories. Since winning the 2022 Storioni Competition, they have made their debut in a few major Dutch venues, such as the Concertgebouw, TivoliVredenburg and DeDoelen. They are the recipients of the 2024 Kersjes Fonds String Quartet Stipend.

In the past seasons, the quartet performed at the Storioni Festival, ZOOM! Festival, Grachtenfestival, Aurora Festival and Duinstreek Kamermuziekfestival. They also performed live on Radio 4 in the programme ‘Spiegelzaal’ (broadcast from the Concertgebouw). The quartet has produced a few of their own projects, for which they received funding from Fonds Podiumkunsten and the municipality of Utrecht. In collaboration with MERITA, the quartet developed their performance ‘131’, in which they combine Beethoven’s letters with his string quartet op. 131. This season, they will perform ‘131’ in various venues throughout Europe, as well as in the Netherlands.

In September 2024, the Skazka Kwartet took part in the Chamber Music Campus in Weikersheim, where they followed lessons with members of the Cuarteto Casals and Artemis Quartet (Heime Müller and Gregor Sigl). Their participation was made possible by a scholarship from Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland. Previously, they followed masterclasses including with Jonathan Brown (former Cuarteto Casals) en Cibrán Sierra Vázquez (Cuarteto Quiroga).

In 2024, the quartet was selected for Musethica, a master course programme for young professional ensembles. They will take part in Musethica’s activities during season 24/25 and 25/26. The quartet is also part of the European network Le Dimore del Quartetto.

Since 2020 they have been studying at the Dutch String Quartet Academy, following lessons with artistic leader Marc Danel, members of the Quatuor Danel and guest teachers such as Pierre Colombet, Marie Chilemme (Quatuor Ébène) and Luc-Marie Aguera (former Quatuor Ysaÿe). They also followed lessons with members of the Jerusalem Quartet (as part of the Zeist Music Days) and members of the Ruysdael Kwartet.

The quartet is grateful to the Dutch Musical Instrument Foundation (NMF) for giving on loan Dmitri’s bow and Emma’s cello.

Photo credits: Tessa Posthuma de Boer