The Balourdet Quartet is acclaimed for their vibrant energy and masterful blend of technical precision and emotional depth that brings a fresh perspective to both beloved classics and modern compositions. Its unique closeness and willingness to take creative risks earned it the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant, as well as Chamber Music America’s 2024 Cleveland Quartet Award. With more than 70 concerts per season, recent highlights include the Balourdet’s debuts at Carnegie and Wigmore Halls, and new string quartets by composers Karim Al-Zand, Paul Novak, and Nicky Sohn through grants from Chamber Music America (2021) and the Barlow Foundation (2023). They have recently been named the first ever Quartet-in-Residence at the Seattle Chamber Music Society and have recently completed residencies at Indiana University and the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program.
“Absolute musical perfection… full, robust sound… impeccable balance”
– The Boston Musical Intelligencer
The Balourdet Quartet is a collision of four musicians who activate wonder by creating beautiful art with curiosity and humor. As curators of classical music, they bring deeply human ideas to life in the world we all share—making the profound feel personal and the unfamiliar feel welcoming. Through the chemistry of the unexpected, they make artistic practices accessible to their audiences and inspire a sense of ease. They invite vulnerability in a playful way, creating a relatable and intimate space where people can feel at home.
The quartet formed an LLC in 2023 with a goal to build together not only as an artistic group but also as a business operation. With eyes on building community and many new and exciting projects on the horizon, the quartet is in the process of forming a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization and has recently become an affiliate of InterMusic SF. The Balourdet has recorded two CDs through Phenotypic Recordings (release date TBC) and remains deeply committed to building educational programs and creativity workshops for students of all ages, entrepreneurs, business executives, and music lovers.
(All donations are tax-deductible)
