One of the most acclaimed British string quartets, The Heath Quartet has built a strong reputation for its dynamic and committed performances.
Established at the Royal Northern College of Music, in 2013 it became the first ensemble in fifteen years to win the prestigious RPS Young Artists Award. In 2016 they won the Gramophone Chamber Award for their recording of the complete Tippett quartets.
The Tippett album was followed by two discs recorded for Harmonia Mundi/PIAS and part-funded by a BBT Special Ensemble Scholarship, featuring Tchaikovsky’s First and Third quartets (BBC Radio 3's Disc of the Week) and the complete Bartók quartets (2017 Limelight Chamber Music Award; nominated for 2018 Gramophone Chamber Award).
Their most recent album for Signum Records brings together works by Berg, Webern and Schoenberg, with soprano Carolyn Sampson.
Other accolades include first prize at the 2008 TROMP competition, and the 2012 Ensemble Prize at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where they are now regular visitors.
"The Heath Quartet’s prayerful concentration really paid off in a performance of unforced beauty and tremulous tension, dappled with sudden shadows and anguished nostalgia for happier times. Each player listened closely to each other; each fell in with Schubert’s feelings as a hand fits the perfect glove." (The Times)
Recent highlights include a two-season residency at Berlin’s Pierre Boulez Saal, their Barcelona debut in Palau de la Musica Catalana, a Beethoven series at Bath Festival, debuts at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Saffron Hall and Cheltenham Festival, as well as concerts at Handelsbeurs Ghent, Aldeburgh and Norfolk & Norwich festivals.
The 2023/24 season included a tour of the USA, a live broadcast with Steven Osborne for the BBC Proms, and an appearance on BBC Radio 4's How to Play; a special programme exploring Schubert's Death and the Maiden. The quartet continued its long association with Wigmore Hall with a four-concert series, and gave the inaugural concert at the newly renovated Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. The quartet enjoyed collaborations with, amongst others, Tom Poster and the Elias String Quartet.
"The delicate perfection of the sound was a marvel.." (Daily Telegraph)
This season the quartet will collaborate with hornists Ben Goldscheider and Alec Frank-Gemmill, pianist Tim Horton and clarinettist/composer Jörg Widmann.
The Heath Quartet are staff members at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and in 2025 became String Quartet in Residence at Middlesex University.
Bartok: String Quartets HMM907661/2 Limelight Magazine Recording of the Year & Chamber Recording of the Year 2017 Shortlisted for Gramophone Chamber Award 2018
Tchaikovsky: String Quartets 1&3 HMU 907665/2 BBC Radio 3 Disk of the Week The Sunday Times Disk of the Week
Tippett: String Quartets WHLIVE0080/2 Gramophone Award Winner 2016
Berg: String Quartet - Webern: Langsamer Satz - Schoenberg: String Quartet No.2 SIGCD712 BBC Radio 3 Disk of the Week Presto Music Recording of the Week
Some of our most memorable musical adventures and collaborations
HOW TO PLAY: SCHUBERT
In 2023 we recorded an episode of BBC Radio 4's How to Play programme focussing on Schubert's Quartet in d minor, Death and the Maiden.Listen in BBC Sounds
SHEKU: ELGAR
A hugely enjoyable collaboration with Sheku Kanneh-Mason in Frank Bridge's Spring Song, a track from his 2020 Elgar album.
WIDMANN AT BOULEZ SAAL
In 2018 we performed the complete cycle of Jörg Widmann's quartets 1-5 in an single concert at the Pierre Boulez Saal. Here is a short extract from the 3rd quartet (recorded later).
FIDELIO
In September 2013 we appeared onstage in English National Opera's production of Beethoven's Fidelio. Climbing into cages during the interval, we descended from above the proscenium arch at the opera's climax to play Beethoven's Heiliger Dankgesang from his Opus 132 quartet. Read more
THE STRING QUARTET'S GUIDE TO SEX AND ANXIETY
In May 2018 we worked with director Calixto Bieito and actors Cathy Tyson, Mairead McKinley, Miltos Yerolemou and Nick Harris in an unique production created by Birmingham REP and Brighton Festival. Read more
TAVENER REQUIEM FRAGMENTS
It was an unforgettable experience to be part of the world premiere of Sir John Tavener's Requiem Fragments - his final completed work - with the Tallis Scholars and Carolyn Sampson, at the 2014 BBC Proms. Read more
Contact
UK & Europe: heathquartet@gmail.com
USA: Lee Prinz, Colbert Artists Management prinz@colbertartists.com
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