[RO]
Format in 1995, pe vremea studentiei la Universitatea de Muzica din Bucuresti, Romania, cvartetul ConTempo a devenit unul dintre cele mai apreciate cvartete tinere de azi, cu 14 Premii Internationale, numeroase turnee mondiale si peste 1200 de concerte in 46 de tari.
Au studiat impreuna cu cele mai apreciate cvartete de coarde din lume, precum Amadeus, Alban Berg , Tokyo, Emerson, Hagen si Quartetto Italiano.
Din 1992 pana in 2002, cvartetul ConTempo au colaborat ca cercetatori cu Academia Regala de Muzica din Londra, unde fiecare membru a antrenat grupuri de muzica de camera si si-au desavarsit cercetarea asupra ciclului de cvartete pentru coarde al lui Beethoven, sub indrumarea lui Sigmund Nisel.
In 2003, in urma unei auditii internationale, cvartetul ConTempo a devenit Ansamblu in Rezidenta in Galway, pe coasta de vest a Irlandei, alaturandu-se unui proiect unic, aflat acum in al doilea deceniu de existenta, sub umbrela programului de rezidenta muzicala Galway, sponsorizat de Universitatea Nationala de Muzica a Irlandei, de Consiliul Artelor din Irlanda precum si de Consiliul Local si Regional.
In 2013, in urma unei auditii europene, ConTempo a fost selectionat pentru a i se oferi rezidenta RTE pentru cvartetul de coarde la Radioteleviziunea Nationala din Irlanda.
Cvartetul de coarde ConTempo a obtinut un numar record de 14 premii internationale in competitii din Londra, Munich, Hamburg, Roma, Graz, Berlin, Bucuresti si Praga (Premiul 1 in Competitia GrosserForderpreise in Munich-Germania, Premiul 1 in competitia Valentino Bucchi in Roma-Italia, Premiul 1 in competitia Tunnel Trust din Londra-Regatul Unit, Premiul 1 in competitia Mozart in Romania, Premiul 2 in competitia internationala Johannes Brahms International Hamburg-Germania, Premiul Publicului si Premiul 3 in Competitia pentru Cvartete cu Coarde din Londra, Regatul Unit, Premiul 3 in competitia Schubert und die Musik der Moderne in Graz-Austria, Premiul 3 in competitia Max Reger in Weimar-Germania, Premiul Wigmore -Londra) precum si Premiul Uniunii Criticilor de Muzica la Bucuresti.
ConTempo a participat la numeroase Festivaluri Internationale renumite in Europa, Asia si America de Nord, printre care Berliner Festwochen, Festivalul George Enescu in Romania, Festivalul Haydn in Eisenstad, Radio France Musique, Europa Musicale in Munich, Festivalul Clasique-au-Vert in Paris, Festivalul Belfast, Queens and King’s Lynn Festival (in cadrul caruia ConTempo au interpretat ca solisti Introducere si Allegro de Elgar cu Orchestra Filarmonica Regala din Londra).
Au avut mai mult de 1200 de recitaluri de muzica de camera in locatii precum : Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall, St. John’s Smith Square si St.Martin-in-the-Fields in Londra, Berliner Philarmoniker, The Waterfront in Belfast, Max Joseph Saal in Munich, Theatre Chatelet in Paris, Auditorium in Brussels, Gedai University in Tokio, Opera House in Tel-Aviv, NCH in Dublin, San
Marino, Toronto, Madrid, Palazzo Quirignale in Roma, Lisabona, Stockholm Concert Hall, Vatican, Amsterdam, Graz, Beijing, Ateneul din Bucuresti si Academia de Muzica din Londra (unde au interpretat Introducere si Allegro de Elgar la patru instrumente Guarneri acompaniati de o orchestra formata exclusiv cu instrumente Stradivarius din colectiile RAM si Mr. Josefovitz).
ConTempo au avut onoarea de a fi invitati sa interpreteze in fata unor mari personalitati precum regretatul Papa Ioan Paul al II-lea la Castelul Gondolfo in Italia, pentru Printul Charles In Regatul Unit (in Londra si la Highrove), pentru Nelson Mandela, fostul presedinte al Africii de Sus, in fata Ministrilor UE, a castigatorului Premiului Nobel Seamus Heaney si pentru celebrii actori de Hollywood Angelica Houston, Angela Lansbury, Martin Sheen si Merv Griffin.
Producatorul Bob Quinn a realizat un documentar despre rezidenta ConTempo la Galway, „ConTempo Goes West”, care a avut premiera la Festivalul de Film din Galway.
ConTempo a inregistrat muzica pentru serialul HBO realizat de tom Hanks si Steven Spielberg, „Band of Brothers”.
In ultimii trei ani au interpretat in premiera peste 40 de noi compozitii.
Colaborarile cu diversi artisti din diferite genuri muzicale este o parte importanta a vietii cvartetului ConTempo. Adesea ei interpreteaza piese din Renasterea timpurie sau din perioada barocul. Insa sunt de asemenea pasionati de muzica jazz si pop precum si de muzica argentineana si braziliana, cantand adesea la instrumente moderne sau electrice.
Au fost invitati sa prea cursuri internationale de interpretare solo si muzica de camera in Irlanda (Scoala de Vara ConTempo in Galway, Royal Irish Academy of Music si DIT in Dublin, Concorda in Kilkenny, Music on the Shannon, IAYO etc.), in Regatul Unit (Royal Academy of Music-London, Reading School of Music), in Japonia (Gedai University of Music, Tokyo), in Romania ( Sibiu, Brasov si Bucuresti) si in Roma, Italia.
ConTempo a participat la numeroase seminarii de compozitie organizate de Dublin Institut of Technology, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Contemporary Music Centre, Association of Irish Composers, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Maynooth University , Icon Arts Academy, Universitatea de Muzica din Romania, Derry University etc.
ConTempo Quartet va fi din nou alaturi de Academia ICon Arts si in 2018.
[EN]
Formed in 1995 when students at the Music University in Bucharest, Romania, the ConTempo Quartet became one of the most celebrated young quartets performing today, having won a record of 14 International Awards and touring the world extensively, performing over 1200 concerts in 46 countries.
They have studied with the most celebrated string quartets of the world, such as Amadeus, Alban Berg , Tokyo, Emerson, Hagen and Quartetto Italiano.
From 1999 to 2002 the ConTempo Quartet was offered a Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where each member coached chamber music groups at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and accomplished their research on Beethoven’s String Quartets Cycle under Siegmund Nisel’s guidance.
In 2003, after an International Audition, ConTempo became „Galway Ensemble-in-Residence” on the West coast of Ireland, embarking on a unique project, which entered now into the 2nd decade, under the umbrella of Galway Music Residency, sponsored by the National University of Ireland Galway, the Arts Council of Ireland, City and County Councils.
In 2013, after an European Audition ConTempo was selected and offered the new RTE String Quartet in Residence position of the State National Radio Television of Ireland.
ConTempo String Quartet has won a record of 14 International prizes in competitions such as London, Munich, Hamburg, Rome, Graz, Berlin, Bucharest & Prague (1st Prize at GrosserForderpreise Competition in Munich-Germany, 1st Prize at Valentino Bucchi competition in Rome-Italy, 1stPrize at Tunnel Trust Competition in London-UK, 1stPrize at Mozart competition in Romania, 2ndPrize at Johannes Brahms International Competition in Hamburg-Germany, Audience Prize and 3rdPrize at London String Quartet Competition in UK, 3rdPrize at Schubert und die Musik der Moderne Competition in Graz-Austria, 3rdPrize at Max Reger Competition in Weimar-Germany, The Wigmore Award-London) and The Romanian Musical Critics Union Prize in Bucharest.
ConTempo has toured the world extensively, performing at many major International festivals in Europe, Asia and North America, including Berliner Festwochen, George Enescu Festival in Romania, Haydn Festival in Eisenstad, Radio France Musique, Europa Musicale in Munich, Festival Clasique-au-Vert in Paris, Belfast Festival at Queens and King’s Lynn Festival (where ConTempo played as soloists with London’s Royal Philarmonic Orchestra Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro).
They performed more than 1200 Chamber Music Recitals in venues such as: Carnegie Hall in NY, Wigmore Hall, St. John’s Smith Square and St.Martin-in-the-Fields in London, Berliner Philarmoniker, The Waterfront in Belfast, Max Joseph Saal in Munich, Theatre Chatelet in Paris, Auditorium in Brussels, Gedai University in Tokio, Opera House in Tel-Aviv, NCH in Dublin, San Marino, Toronto, Madrid, Palazzo Quirignale in Rome, Lisbon, Stockholm Concert Hall, Vatican, Amsterdam, Graz, Beijing, the Atheneum in Bucharest and Royal Academy of Music in London (where they performed on four Guarneri instruments Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro accompanied by a full orchestra performing on Stradivari instruments from RAM & Mr.Josefovitz collections).
ConTempo had the honor to be invited to perform in front of great world personalities such as the late Pope John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo in Italy, for Prince Charles in UK (in London and Highrove) , for Nelson Mandela/former President of South Africa, the EU Ministers, the Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney and for the famous Hollywood actors Angelica Houston, Angela Lansbury, Martin Sheen and Merv Griffin.
Filmmaker Bob Quinn produced a documentary about ConTempo’s residency in Galway, „ConTempo Goes West”, which was premiered at the Galway Film Fest.
ConTempo recorded the music for Tom Hanks & Steven Spielberg’s television drama „Band of Brothers”.
In the last three years they have premiered over 40 new compositions.
Collaborations with different artists and musical genres is a very important part of ConTempo’s musical life. They are often seen playing early, renaissance or baroque music. They are also keen on jazz and pop music as well as argentinean & brazilian music, where they play on either modern or electric instruments.
They’ve been invited to teach in International solo and Chamber music courses in Ireland (ConTempo Summer School in Galway, Royal Irish Academy of Music and DIT in Dublin, Concorda in Kilkenny, Music on the Shannon, IAYO etc.), in the UK (Royal Academy of Music-London, Reading School of Music), in Japan (Gedai University of Music, Tokyo), in Romania ( Sibiu, Brasov and Bucharest) and in Rome, Italy.
ConTempo took part in various composition workshops held by Dublin Institut of Technology, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Contemporary Music Centre, Association of Irish Composers, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Maynooth University , Icon Arts Academy & Music University in Romania, Derry University etc.
ConTempo Quartet will be joining again the Icon Arts Academy Sibiu in 2015.