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Arethusa Quartet
The Arethusa Quartet was founded in 2023 and unifies four exciting, internationally renowned musicians with backgrounds both as soloists and in world famous chamber groups. Having shared the stage in numerous festivals, Daniel Rowland (former leader of the Brodsky Quartet for 12 years), Floor Le Coultre, Dana Zemtsov and Maja Bogdanović developed a deep friendship, bonded over their complementary passions and ideals, and decided to create this dynamic and unique quartet.
Daniel, Floor, Dana and Maja combine great imagination, creativity and adventures in their performances. Their mesmerizing intensity derives from always being ‘in the moment’ while playing music. Not long after it was founded, the Arethusa Quartet was already invited by numerous festivals and concert venues. Its members are passionate advocates of music of our time and have already (in their first season!) worked closely together with composers such as Pēteris Vasks and Osvaldo Golijov.
The Arethusa Quartet takes its name from the mythical, magical water nymph called Arethusa. There is a very beautiful work by the composer Karol Szymanowski called The Fountain of Arethusa. The story is about the beautiful water nymph, who is desired by all kinds of gods and demigods. One of those demigods, Alpheus, sees her in the water and tries to catch her. The moment he thinks he has caught her, she turns into the water itself and becomes one with nature. She is unreachable for the hands of the demigod. This vaporous concept of longing can also be applied to art, and music in particular. It is beautifully unreachable. It is impossible to grasp. And if you think ‘now I have it!’, it is already gone.
www.arethusaquartet.com
Programme Proposals (2026/27)
ENCOUNTER
Olli Mustonen: String Quartet No. 2 (Dedicated to the Arethusa Quartet, May 2025)
Pēteris Vasks: String Quartet No. 6
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
DREAMS & PRAYERS with Chen Halevi (klezmer clarinet)
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
Osvaldo Golijov: The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind, for klezmer clarinet & string quartet
TESTAMENT
Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 7 in F-sharp minor, Op. 108
Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110
Dmitri Shostakovich: Two Pieces for String Quartet (Elegy & Polka)
Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 9 in E-flat major, Op. 117
Dmitri Shostakovich (Arr. Daniel Rowland & Maja Bogdanovic): 5 pieces for 2 violins and piano
INTIMATE LETTERS
Cecilia Damstrom: String Quartet No. 2 ‘Letters’ (Written for Daniel Rowland)
Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 2, ‘Intimate Letters’
Isidora Žebeljan: An intimate letter from the Judean desert (Written for Daniel Rowland)
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
