Warm Prompt：
Children under the age of six or 1.2 meters will not be admitted. Each audience should have a ticket regardless of the age.

PHILHARMONIA QUARTETT BERLIN
“Four of the best” is how the London Press described the Philharmonia Quartet Berlin after their debut performance at Wigmore Hall. Lord Yehudi Menuhin added, “I’d like to hear music always played as beautifully as you play.” And indeed, since its foundation in 1985, the Philharmonia Quartet Berlin has established itself as a world-renowned string quartet, be it in Europe, the U.S., Japan, or South America. The Media often calls them the “top-flight ensemble” as they have set a new bar with their homogenous sound and flawless interplay. The ensemble plays regularly in the “Kammermusiksaal” of the “Berliner Philharmonie, ” and holds guest performances at prestigious concert series events around the globe, such as at Carnegie Hall in New York and Wigmore Hall in London. Three of their numerous recordings, including Reger, Shostakovich, and Britten won the German Schallplattenpreis and were named “outstanding” recordings by the German newspaper “Suddeutsche Zeitung.” Furthermore, the quartet received the Argentine Critic Prize in Buenos Aires. The quartet caught international attention and thrilled the audience of the Berliner Philharmonie with their performances of the Beethoven- and Shostakovich-cycles. Their versatile and adventurous repertoire now includes over 100 pieces. It spans from the Classical period to the 20th Century, and includes rarely performed string quartets. Up until the sudden death of the cellist, Jan Diesselhorst in February of 2009, the string quartet played in their original cast. Dietmar Schwalke has now followed into Jan’s footsteps. With him the quartet has been able to preserve their characteristic homogenous sound and harmonious interplay and continue to perform worldwide. Their two recent recordings include Beethoven’s Rasumovsky Quartets op.59 (2014) and the three Brahms Quartets (2015).

FIRST VIOLIN：DANIEL STABRAWA
  Daniel Stabrawa was born in Krakow in 1955 and is currently the first Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He won several prizes at prestigious international violin competitions and completed his education under Zbigniew Szlezer. In 1979 he became the Concertmaster of the Krakow Radio Orchestra. In 1983 he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, where he rose to the position of Concertmaster by 1986 under Herbert von Karajan. Daniel Stabrawa regularly performs as a soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and travels across Europe, Asia, and North and South America. He has performed numerous sonata recitals with his wife and pianist Elzbieta Stabrawa. He is particularly fond of the music of his compatriot, Carol Szymanowksy. Since 1994 Daniel Stabrawa occasionally has been taking on the role of the conductor. Among other engagements he took on the position of artistic director of Capella Bydgostiensis in Bydgoszcz, Poland from 1994 to 2001.

SECOND VIOLIN：CHRISTIAN STADELMANN
Christian Stadelmann was born in 1959 in Berlin and was first taught violin by Charlotte Hampe at age 7. He graduated from Hochschule der Kunste where he studied under Thomas Brandis. Christian Stadelmann won awards at various violin competitions and co-founded the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. After spending several years playing with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1985 under Herbert von Karajan. In 1987 he was promoted to the leader of the second violin section. Since 2002 Mr. Stadelmann has been teaching at the Karajan-Orchester-Akademie with great success.

VIOLA：NEITHARD RESA
Neithard Resa is also a native of Berlin and initially was taught violin by Michel Schwalbe. He then switched to Max Rostal in Cologne. He continued his studies in the U.S. under Michael Tree from the Guarneri Quartet. In 1978 Neithard won an award at the competition of the German Musikrat and was a participant of the nationwide choice “Konzerte junger Kunstler”. The same year he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as principal violist under Herbert von Karajan and continued in that position through 2010. For seven years Neithard Resa was a member of the “Philharmonisches Oktett” and performed as a soloist with conductors such as Mehta, Barenboim, and Haitink.

CELLO：DIETMAR SCHWALKE
Schwalke has been a member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra since 1994. He was born in Hamburg in 1958 and started his first cello lessons at age 12. He first studied in Hamburg under Arthur Troester, then under Wolfgang Boetcher in Berlin, and finished his studies under Pierre Fournier. Dietmar Schwalke won several awards at German national competitions. He gave his debut in the Berlin Philharmonie in 1981 with the Cello Concerto by Robert Schumann with the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin. Dietmar was a member of the Kreuzberger Streichquartett Berlin for 7 years with whom he travelled across Europe. Simultaneously he taught cello at Hochschule der Kuenste and held the position of visiting professor for chamber music. In April 2009 Dietmar took on the position of the late Jan Diesselhorst as cellist of the Philharmonia Quartet Berlin.

Program:
Mozart: String Quartet No. 8 in F, K 168
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
Schumann: String Quartet in A, op. 41, No. 3
(Please check program updates at the concert)