Cuarteto Casals

Fellowship Winner 2008

Vera Martínez Mehner violin
Abel Tomàs violin
Jonathan Brown viola
Arnau Tomàs cello

Since its founding in Madrid in 1997, Cuarteto Casals has quickly become acknowledged as one of Europe's most distinguished string quartets. Initially recognized for winning First Prize at both the 2000 London and 2002 Brahms international competitions, the quartet now regularly performs in the finest halls of major capitals throughout the world including London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Zürich, Amsterdam, Madrid, New York and Tokyo and has appeared at festivals including Salzburg and Luzern. The quartet has accompanied the King of Spain on state visits and performed at the Palacio Real on the royal family's priceless set of matched Stradivarius instruments. Recording exclusively for Harmonia Mundi, Cuarteto Casals has released four highly acclaimed CD's featuring works by Debussy, Ravel,Turina, Toldra, Zemlinsky, Mozart and Arriaga and will release a box-set of the complete quartets and piano quintet of Brahms in 2008. The ensemble has also premiered works by Jesus Rueda, David del Puerto and Jordi Cervelló of Spain, collaborated with György Kurtag of Hungary and James MacMillan of Scotland, and recorded ‘Morphing' by Christian Lauba of France. The quartet was honored in 2005 with the Prize of the City of Barcelona and in 2006 with the Spanish National Music Award and can be seen and heard on radio and television throughout Europe and North America. Cuarteto Casals is currently in residence at conservatories in Barcelona and Zaragoza and was influenced in its own studies by Walter Levin, Rainer Schmidt and the Alban Berg Quartet.