Doric String Quartet
Doric String Quartet
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“luminous beauty of sound…”
BIOGRAPHY
Ying Xue, violin
Maia Cabeza, violin
Emma Wernig, viola
John Myerscough, cello
Doric String Quartet brings an elegance and intimacy both to the Classical canon and new music with the depth and integrity of their interpretations winning them fans across the world. Having performed cycles of Haydn, Mendelssohn, Britten and Bartók at famous international venues, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Vienna Konzerthaus and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, they now turn their attention to Beethoven, continuing their recording project for Chandos, with the first installment released in 2023 and being praised by The Times as “a joy.” The series will culminate in 2026–27 with the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death.
Their intellectual rigor has led them to use specially made original-style bows for performing Classical repertoire from Haydn to Mendelssohn, and while they are known for their refined performances of this repertoire, they are also committed to new music, performing works by composers such as Peter Maxwell Davies and Donnacha Dennehy. In 2019 they gave the world premiere of Brett Dean’s String Quartet no. 3, commissioned for them by Musica Viva Australia, Carnegie Hall, Edinburgh Festival, Berlin Konzerthaus, Amsterdam String Quartet Biennale and West Cork Chamber Music Festival.
Doric String Quartet’s curiosity and flexibility are represented by a discography of more than 20 recordings for Chandos, with whom they have recorded exclusively since 2010, ranging from Purcell to John Adams. They are regular visitors at Snape Maltings and London’s Wigmore Hall, where they were the first group to perform to a live audience after lockdown. They make an annual tour of the U.S. and visit Japan every other year at venues including Suntory Hall.
The ensemble often performs repertoire for string quartet and orchestra, including Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, and were invited to give the Austrian premiere of John Adams’ Absolute Jest for String Quartet and Orchestra at the Vienna Konzerthaus, with Adams conducting. They also gave the Dutch premiere with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic at the Concertgebouw under Markus Stenz, and have performed the piece with the BBC Scottish Symphony and BBC Symphony Orchestras. Their recording with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Peter Oundjian, released on Chandos in 2018, was named Recording of the Month in BBC Music Magazine and praised for its “sumptuous sweetness and laser-like clarity.”
As a group, they enjoy working with other musicians such as Elisabeth Leonskaja, Alina Ibragimova, Liza Ferschtman and Alexander Melnikov. They recently toured the U.S. alongside Benjamin Grosvenor, worked with Tabea Zimmerman and recorded Mendelssohn String Quintets with Timothy Ridout. This season they are touring projects with Jonathan Biss and Cuarteto Quiroga.
Having themselves benefitted from coaching by groups such as the Hagen, Alban Berg, Artemis and LaSalle quartets, the group is keen to support young musicians. They have been Teaching Quartet in Association at the Royal Academy of Music since 2015 and Artistic Directors of the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival since 2018. Ying Xue performs on a violin by Giovanni Gabrielli from 1754, Emma Wernig plays on a viola made by Jason Viseltear in 2019, and John Myerscough performs on a cello made by the Brothers Amati in 1587.
Recordings
The quartet has recorded exclusively for Chandos since 2010 with releases including of Korngold, Haydn Quartets opp. 20, 33, 64 and 76, Walton, Britten and Mozart. In 2019 they recorded the complete Britten quartets at Snape Maltings Concert Hall and in 2023 released the first album of their Beethoven cycle, including op. 18 no. 1, op. 59 no. 1, op. 95 and op. 127.
Festivals
Recent visits include Schwarzenberg Schubertiade, Grafenegg, Festspiele Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, Schwetzingen, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, West Cork, Cheltenham, Delft and Risør Festivals.
Collaborations
Regular collaborations include Ian Bostridge, Mark Padmore, Alexander Melnikov, Pieter Wispelwey, Jonathan Biss, Chen Halevi, Elizabeth Leonskaja, Benjamin Grosvenor, Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien.
2024/2025
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