Founded in Cologne in 2007, the Schumann Quartet is named not after the composer, but after its members. The three brothers Mark, Erik and Ken Schumann have been making music together since early childhood. Today, violist Matthew McDowell completes the quartet. “A work only truly develops in live performance,” say the musicians, who have been praised by critics for their “high emotional intelligence” combined with “effortless technical assurance”. Today, the string quartet is regarded as one of the finest ensembles of its kind.
Technical brilliance is also a hallmark of pianist Andrei Gologan, whom the Süddeutsche Zeitung praised as a “lyric poet of the piano”. Born in Romania, where he began piano lessons at the age of five, his talent eventually led him to study at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg. Today, he is a sought-after soloist with internationally renowned orchestras and a regular guest at major music festivals. His fascination with kaleidoscopic sound structures inspires spontaneous interpretations, shaped by his intensive study of historical performance practice and his regular collaboration with Sir András Schiff and Ferenc Rados.
