Kronos' 50 for the Future Weekend
May 6th and 7th in Muziekgebouw
In 2015, the Kronos Performing Arts Association launched 50 for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire, an education and legacy project that has commissioned—and distributed for free—the first learning library of contemporary repertoire for string quartet. Designed expressly for the training of students and emerging professionals, fifty new works have been commissioned, and scores and parts, as well as supplemental learning materials that include recordings, videos, performance notes, and composer interviews, are available on the projects' website. Lead partner Carnegie Hall and an adventurous group of partners, including String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, have joined forces with KPAA to support this exciting program.
Time for celebration! In 2023 the legendary Kronos Quartet will have its fifty year anniversary. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam is presenting all fifty works in one weekend. These fifty pieces reflect the rich and diverse sounds of the world, composed by some of the most relevant and interesting composers of our time.
May 6th and 7th the Muziekgebouw and Bimhuis will embody the spirit of Kronos' 50 for the Future. Each event during this weekend is a must-hear for the string quartet lover. Kronos Quartet opens and closes the festival, and is joined by 9 other extraordinary quartets to perform all fifty pieces, a unique experience only available in Amsterdam. If one pleases, they could even listen to all fifty pieces over the course of the weekend, spanning over eight hours of music. It’s also possible to visit the weekend through purchasing one or various passes, which give you access to all events during a specified time slot.
Line-up: Kronos Quartet / Ragazze Quartet / Attacca Quartet / Ruysdael Quartet / PUBLIQuartet / Matangi Quartet / Belinfante Quartet / Signum Quartett / ADAM Quartet / Animato Quartet
Meet the composers! During Kronos' 50 for the Future weekend Fodé Lassana Diabaté, Jlin, Aleksandra Vrebalov, and Charlton Singleton, among others will be presenting their works, engaging in talks and panel discussions.
SUPPORT
Let's make Kronos' 50 for the Future a party for everyone!
It was the dream of David Harrington, the primarius and founder of the renowned Kronos Quartet, to have all fifty pieces written for 50 for the Future played in a single weekend. That dream has now become a reality with Kronos' 50 for the Future Weekend.
Several educational projects and collaborations have emerged and have been added to Kronos' 50 for the Future Weekend programme. The Leerorkest is participating with six string quartets, the Ragazze Quartet has set up the composition project 'So you think you can write a string quartet' with three conservatoires, and of course, we want to bring as much of a young and diverse audience to the concert hall as possible, but this requires extra efforts and collaborations. We also want to make access for these groups as accessible as possible (lower admission prices). These additional initiatives are in addition to the original budget of the weekend. With our crowdfunding campaign, we are looking for extra leverage to be able to carry out these efforts as powerfully and completely as possible.
A large number of cultural funds and private donors have contributed to this unique event. We now need the last push to strengthen our educational program and help us reach a wider audience and engage young musicians and composers.
That's why we have set up a crowdfunding campaign through the Voor de Kunst platform.
JOIN US - go directly to the Voor de Kunst page and read how you can contribute to the Kronos' 50 for the Future weekend!
The Power of Four
String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam Presents its 4th Edition
In 2024 the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam will commence once again. The fourth edition is enticing, enchanting and surprising. For eight days, from dusk till dawn, we will celebrate the intricate beauty and power of the string quartet. The lineup consisting of 24 string quartets, will unite musicians and music from all over.
Line-up: Danish String Quartet, Belcea Quartet, Marmen Quartet, Ragazze Quartet, Australian String Quartet, Animato Kwartet, Signum Quartett among others.
Ticket Sales will begin at the end of March.
Save the date!
String Quartet
Biennale 2024
27.1 - 3.2.2024
There’s something magical about string quartet. For over 250 years, the most beautiful and thrilling music has been written for this specific combination of two violins, viola and cello.
Every two years the String Quartet Biennale brings together string quartets, composers and artists from around the globe. Their rich and diverse backgrounds help mould this dynamic and innovative festival consisting of eight days in the Muziekgebouw Amsterdam packed with over sixty concerts, talks, masterclasses and a lively fringe programme featuring 30 string quartets, soloists, composers and speakers.
What's New?
The Amsterdam String Quartet Biennale is a wonderfully inspiring community of artists, audience, and music lovers in an incredible setting. It is an honor and joy to be returning in 2024 to join a group of truly outstanding string quartets in a one-of-a kind festival.
The Calder Quartet
The Muziekgebouw is literally buzzing with enthusiasm and passion. Each time I come to the Amsterdam Biennale, my love and pride for the String Quartet finds itself strengthened, grown and renewed. The Biennale maintains a perfect balance of celebrating the string quartet with respect and passion, showcasing its endless repertoire, while simultaneously pursuing innovative and exciting concert programming. It is a little bit of paradise for any quartet enthusiast.
Hélène Clément,
Doric String Quartet
The String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam is like a great astronomical event on the string quartet firmament: for one week, a multitude of artistic forces - along with an inspired mass of spectators - align and resonate together. The diversity of artists and events eclipses everything else on the quartet calendar, and celebrates what the string quartet might ultimately strive to be - a microcosm of our society and a mirror to every aspect of the human experience. We can’t wait to return in 2024!
Johannes Marmen,
Marmen Quartet
The String Quartet Biennale is a string quartet-universe without limits: It's an inviting space to discover every hidden corner that the string quartet has to offer and a place where one can encounter the widest scope of international string quartets. The Biennale is a warm home for all string quartets worldwide, where we can finally meet our fellow ensembles, listen to each other, learn from each other and inspire one another.
Rosa Arnold,
Ragazze Quartet
The String Quartet Biennale is a forum for dreams to become reality, and for the wildest and usually unrealisable ideas to take shape and wing. For us, as quartets, it is a unique meeting place for quartets amongst themselves - something which rarely happens in the wild.
Xandi Van Dijk,
Signum Quartett
Eight days of floating in the past, present and future of the string quartet exudes a hypnotic power.
Joost Galema,
NRC, 2 February 2020
The greatest thing in life is when Utopia becomes reality. For me, that is exactly what happens at the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam. For a full week, the Muziekgebouw and the area around it is like a village, completely occupied by the string quartet.
Marc Danel,
Quatuor Danel
The richness of the String Quartet Biennale is maddening.