The Maxwell Quartet combines a refined approach to classical works with a passion for its own folk heritage and a commitment to expanding the string quartet repertoire through wide-ranging projects. Friends since they met playing in youth orchestras in Scotland, their tight bond shows through in compelling musical interpretations and their joyous communication with audiences.
Strongly connected to its own Scottish roots, the group often performs classical repertoire and new music alongside folk-inspired works. Its first two releases on Linn Records paired string quartets by Haydn with the players’ own compositions, based on Scottish folk music, the first reaching number three in the classical specialist charts. They recently gave the world premiere of a new commission by Linda Buckley with bagpiper Brìghde Chaimbeul, touring to Celtic Connections and across Europe.

They formed officially in 2010 as postgraduate students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and a year later were named as Residency Artists for Enterprise Music Scotland, 2011–13, which gave them several acclaimed concert tours. The quartet has since held residencies at Oxford University, Perth Concert Hall, Music at Paxton and the Lammermuir Festival. They founded their own Loch Shiel festival in the West Highlands of Scotland, and curated a concert series at Guardswell Farm in Perthshire, and in 2024 serve as Artistic Directors of the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival.
The quartet studied with the Endellion Quartet through a ChamberStudio mentorship programme at King’s Place and privately with Hatto Beyerle, founding member of the Alban Berg Quartet, in Hanover. Other mentors have included Miguel da Silva (Quatuor Ysaÿe), Erich Höbarth (Quatuor Mosaïques) and Krysztof Chorzelski (Belcea Quartet). The quartet plays on violins by David Tecchler and Giovanni Batista Rogeri, a viola by J.B. Vuillaume and a cello by Francesco Ruggieri (1670), all on loan from generous benefactors. Additionally they perform on modern instruments by British makers Roger Hansell, John Dilworth and David Rattray.