Meta4

The string quartet META4 is a Finnish string quartet that was founded in 2001. META4 studied with Hatto Beyerle and Johannes Meissl and attended the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA).

Current occupation

Former members

Eriikka Nylund (until 2006)

repertoire

The string quartet META4 has dedicated itself to the repertoire for this genre from the Viennese classic to the current avant-garde since its foundation . After winning the first prize at the International Shostakovich Quartet Competition in Moscow in 2004, at which they were also awarded an extra prize for the best interpretation of a Shostakovich work, they could be heard on many concert stages around the world. a. Amsterdam ( Concertgebouw ), Dortmund ( Konzerthaus ), Essen ( Philharmonie ), Hamburg ( small Laeiszhalle ), London ( Wigmore Hall ), Madrid (Auditorio Nacional), Milan ( Sala Verdi ), New York ( Carnegie Hall ), Stockholm ( Konserthuset ) , Vienna ( Mozart Hall ). Meta4 is quartet-in-residence at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and is artistic director of the Finnish Oulunsalo Music Festival . The program of the concerts often includes works by Finnish composers etc. a. by Timo Alakotila , Jouni Kaipainen , Jaakko Kuusisto . For their first CD recording in May 2009 with the first three string quartets from Op. 55 by Joseph Haydn , META4 received the 2009 German Record Critics' Prize and the 2010 ECHO Klassik .

World premieres

2008 Jaakko Kuusisto : Play III (Sysmä Summer Sounds festival), June 29, 2008.
2010 Timo Alakotila : String Quartet No. 1 (Upper chapel, Sheffield), February 18, 2010; Felipe Salles : Nimet ( City of London Festival ), July 6th 2010.
2011 Jouni Kaipainen : String Quartet No. 6, op. 92 “The Terror Run” (Hamburg, Elbphilharmonie ), February 13, 2011, commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society and the BBC .
2016 Kimmo Hakola : String Quartet No. 4 ( Kimito Music Festival ), July 12, 2016 Kemiö / Kimito.

Instruments

Minna Pensola plays a Bellosio violin from 1770 (owned by the Local Cooperative Bank of Sysmä). Tomas Djupsjöbacka plays a very rare cello, built by Lorenzo Storioni in Cremona in 1780. The quartet also has two instruments on loan from the Pohjola Bank Art Foundation : Antti Tikkanen plays a Stradivari violin from 1702 and Atte Kilpeläinen a Guidantus Viola from 1737.

Prices

2007 1st prize at the International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna; Finland Prize
2008 BBC New Generation Artist
2009 BBC New Generation Artist; German Record Critics' Prize
2010 BBC New Generation Artist; ECHO Klassik from the German Phono Academy

Discography

2009: Joseph Haydn: String Quartets, op.55 No. 1-3 ( hännsler CLASSIC )