- Aleksandra Czajor - 1st violin
- Grażyna Zubik – 2nd violin
- Malwina Tkaczyk – viola
- Mateusz Mańka – cello
Airis String Quartet was founded in 2007 by the graduates of the Academy of Music in Kraków. The ensemble has mastered its skills under the direction of musicians of the Dafô Quartet in Kraków, ArtEZ Conservatorium in Zwolle in the Netherlands in the class of Jeroen Reuling and Sarah Kapustin, at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna in the class of Johannes Meissl and at the Karol Szymanowski Music Academy in Katowice in the class of Piotr Szumieł, the viola player with Apollon Musagète Quartett. The ensemble was also a member of the European Chamber Music Academy, and during numerous master classes it has had the opportunity to work with outstanding artists from such ensembles as Ysaÿe Quartet, Quatuor Diotima, Alban Berg Quartet, Melos Quartet, Quatuor Danel, Szymanowski Quartet, Silesian String Quartet, Royal String Quartet, and Apollon Musagète Quartett.
In less than half a year since its inception, Airis String Quartet achieved the first significant success, winning the 2nd prize at the International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music in Kraków. The following years brought many other awards and distinctions, including at such competitions as the Charles Hennen Competition in the Netherlands (EMCY Prize for Excellent Performance, 2012), Malta International Music Competition (3rd prize, 2015), Karol Szymanowski International String Quartet Competition in Katowice (special prize for the best performance of a 20th century composer’s work, 2017) and the International Ludwig van Beethoven Chamber Music Competition in Lusławice (special prize for the best performance of Krzysztof Penderecki’s piece, 2017). The quartet also took part in two scholarship programmes: The Minister of Culture and National Heritage’s ‘Young Poland’ (2016) and the Institute of Music and Dance’s ‘Artist-in-Residence’ (2015).
Airis String Quartet performs at home and abroad. The music of the 20th and 21st centuries has had a special place in its wide and varied repertoire for many years. Composers of the young generation often entrust the quartet with premiere performances of their works. The quartet has enjoyed collaborations with such artists as Krzysztof Penderecki, Rafał Augustyn, Miłosz Bembinow, Ib Nørholm, Paweł Łukaszewski, Michał Dobrzyński, Łukasz Pieprzyk, as well as with composers of film music and music for computer games, among them Garry Schyman (Bioshock), Krzysztof A. Janczak (Dans les pas de Marie Curie) and Arkadiusz Reikowski (Kholat, Father and Son). The ensemble continues to look for new inspirations, often crossing the boundaries of classical music. On Airis String Quartet’s initiative, several new works have been composed as part of the programme ‘Collections’ – priority ‘Composing Commissions’. Several CD albums as well as film and game music recordings with the quartet's participation appeared during the last 6 years. The quartet's debut album Hartmann had its premiere in 2018.
The Members of Airis String Quartet teach at music schools and at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, introducing younger generations to the secrets of chamber music and instrumental studies.
updated: ac (2019)
