CHAOS STRING QUARTET

To follow one’s own path unburdened by pre-defined standards. One that transcends barriers and pushes all boundaries – that is the motto of the Chaos String Quartet. Founded on the principles of the rich interdisciplinary concept of “Chaos”, the ensemble’s members Susanne Schäffer, Eszter Kruchió, Sara Marzadori, and Bas Jongen share the firm conviction to overcome shallow, superficial aesthetics by the willingness to explore extremes, to take risks and to welcome the unpredictable. The Quartet embraces Chaos as the primal form of all creation through which science, art, and philosophy unite to become one Gesamtkunstwerk. Despite its relatively short existence, the Chaos String Quartet has already proved themselves as one of the more exciting, independent, and innovative ensembles in tomorrow’s music scene.

Winners of the XI. Premio V. E. Rimbotti in Italy, the Chaos String Quartet was invited to music festivals such as Beethoven Frühling Baden, Podium Festival Mödling, Steirisches Kammermusikfestival, isa Festival, Musethica Zaragoza and Festival del Quartetto Firenze. Future engagements include performances at Wien Modern, Sounding Jerusalem as well as concert series in MuTH Vienna and the Konzerttheater Bern. At the 65th Jeunesses Musicales International Chamber Music Campus they were awarded the prize for the most promising newcomer ensemble 2020, which includes an invitation to the Heidelberger Streichquartettfest 2022.

The ensemble is currently mentored by Johannes Meissl (Artis Quartet) in Vienna and received additional musical training from artists such as Heime Müller (Artemis Quartet), Clive Brown, Eberhard Feltz, Hatto Beyerle, Patrick Jüdt, Hariolf Schlichtig (Cherubini Quartet), Rainer Schmidt (Hagen Quartet), and Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartet). Since 2019, the quartet is completing the ECMAster (European Chamber Music Master) Programme with semesters in Vienna, Oslo, and Paris.

Social outreach is an important aspect of the ensemble’s ethos- through programs like Musethica, the group has committed themselves to bring the wonderful musical world of the string quartet to audiences that would normally not attend a concert; these include children, the elderly, the mentally- and physically disabled, the incarcerated, youths from difficult socially-economic backgrounds, and others.

The group has worked with artists such as Hyung-ki Joo, Avri Levitan, and Christoph Zimper, and in December 2020, the Quartet will have the opportunity to work with Helmut Lachenmann on his 2nd quartet.

The season 2020/2021 will have the Chaos String Quartet appear on concert stages in Italy, Germany, Austria, Israel, Switzerland, and Japan.

Bas Jongen plays a rare cello by Hendrick Jacobs (Amsterdam, ±1690), kindly loaned to him from the Dutch National Musical Instruments Foundation.