Jerusalem Quartet

The Jerusalem Quartet emerged near the end of the 20th century as one of the most talented, busiest, and in-demand string quartets of its generation. […] The quartet plays a variety of fare, typically mixing works from varying periods: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Debussy, Ravel, and Shostakovich are some of the many names appearing on concert bills and recordings. But the quartet also plays contemporary music, such as the String Quintet (2008-2009) by Australian composer Carl Vine. Though it has only been in existence since 1993, they have played at many of the major concert venues across the globe, including in New York, Chicago, Washington, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Munich, Geneva, Sydney, Melbourne, and throughout Israel. The group has recorded for Harmonia Mundi, EMI Classics, and Live-in Classics.

The Jerusalem Quartet membership consists of Alexander Pavlovsky (first violin), Sergei Bresler(second violin), Amichai Grosz (viola), and Kyril Zlotnikov (cello). Following its formation, the players honed their skills under the mentorship of violinist Avi Abramovitch.

By the mid-'90s the quartet's achievements were being recognized: in 1996 the Jerusalem Academy awarded it first prize in chamber music. The following year it captured two prizes at the Graz International Competition.

From 1999-2001 the group took part in the BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme. In 2002 the JQ's first recordings were issued: quartets by Beethoven, Ravel, and Dvorák on Live-in Classics, and the Tchaikovsky First and Shostakovich Third quartets, on EMI.

After a sabbatical in 2003, the group returned with a full schedule of concerts, including tours of Australia and New Zealand. It also had a new recording contract, with Harmonia Mundi, and its first CD, an album of Haydn quartets, was issued to great acclaim in 2004.

From 2006-2009 the group served as quartet-in-residence for the Sydney-base Musica Viva Australia. They also gave several highly successful tours in Australia during this period, including one in 2008 which included concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.

In late 2009 the JQ gave another extensive and highly acclaimed tour of Australia, this one featuring 10 concerts and nine locations in all. Among the JQ's later recordings is their 2009 second volume of Haydn quartets, on Harmonia Mundi. Grosz became principal violist for the Berlin Philharmonic in 2010, with Ori Kam replacing him in the quartet. Allmusic