The repertoire of ARSIS4 carries itself from Haydn through Beethoven onto Bartok and Shostakovitch. ARSIS4 concentrates itself primarily on the famous and less famous repertoire of the 20th and 21st century. Beside the music of a.o Bartok, Schostakovitch, Janaceck and Schnittke, the quartet do not shy away from more experimental music of such as Saariaho, Crumb, Nono. The mission of ARSIS4 is to illustrate the exceptional diversity that the 20th and 21st century has to offer. More than ever is the string quartet the medium in which composers can showcase their skill and talent, and a way to experiment to their hearts desire helping them find their own, unique voice. ARSIS4 also wishes to play a leading role in the performance and promotion of active belgian composers, integrating works by Brewaeys, Van Hove, Henderickx, Swinnen, Hus, Van Dam, Janssens and Sall in their programs.
Our Story
ARSIS4 consists of four young string players who have for the last three years been intensely working together. They have studied at the conservatorium of Antwerp and Brussels and received further coaching of top level musicians like Andras Keller, Heime Müller, Anner Bijlsma, Ferenc Rados and Ralf Gothoni. They attended masterclasses with the Artis Wien Quartet, the Prazak, the Danel Quartet and Klankforum Wien. From this season on, ARSIS4 is studying with the Artemis Quartet in the Queen Elisabeth Chapelle.
During this early stage in Quartet, their careers they have already performed at several significant halls in Belgium. Theses include La Monnaie, Beursschouwburg, AB and Bozar in Brussels, De Singel and Amuz in Antwerp, the Concertgebouw in Bruges, the Bijloke in Ghent and several cultural centres across the country. Their dynamic performances at the festivals of 'Ars Musica', 'Music@venture', 'het Klarafestival' and the 'Festival of Flanders' received great acclaim. The activity of ARSIS4 is also spreading outside of Belgium having, played in The Netherlands, Germany, Austich, France and Tunisia. In 2008, they were laureates of 'Gouden Vleugels' and have made a number of radio recordings for Klara and the German broadcaster SWR2. During the last 3 years they have worked intensely with the BL!NDMAN Saxophone quartet under the name BL!NDMAN [strings]. Since the 2009-2010 season, they go their own way as ARSIS4.
