The Mona Quartet was born from a diverse group of young women from all over the world. Uniting Latvian, French, American and Korean backgrounds, they have thus created their own musical language. Founded in 2018 at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, they began their musical journey with eminent professors such as Günter Pichler at the Escuela Superior Reina Sofia in Madrid, François Salque at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, as well as receiving guidance from Luc-Marie Aguera, Mathieu Herzog and the Modigliani Quartet. It was also the meeting of artistic personalities like Éric Le Sage, Emmanuel Pahud, Paul Meyer, Abdel Rahman El Bacha, Kyril Zlotnikov on the occasion of various collaborations, which influenced their musical career.
It was just the beginning of their career that pianist and composer, Abdel Rahman El Bacha, mesmerized by their musical language, dedicated his piece “Prélude à cordes” to the young quartet and invited them to perform at the Royal Theatre in Brussels, broadcasted live on Musiq3 during the Classissimo Festival.
The quartet has taken over the great classical concert halls of Paris on several occasions, such as the Pierre Boulez hall of the Philharmonie de Paris, the Châtelet Theater, the Cortot Hall and the Petit Palais, as well as prestigious festivals such as the Rencontres Musicales d' Evian, Salon de Provence Festival, Quatuors à Bordeaux, Heidelberger Frühling Festival, Preludes de Pont Aven, Les Vacances de Monsieur Haydn, Festival Debussy, Festival de Dinard, and the Edinburgh International Festival. During the 2021-2022 season they will make their debut at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Luxemburg Philharmonie and will be present at the String Quartet Biennial at the Philharmonie de Paris, Quartettissimo in Budapest, Icking Festival and many others.
The quartet is laureate of the 3rd Tremplin de la Phiharmonie de Paris and was awarded the Prix du Méjan and the Orangerie de Sceaux during its participation in the Ravel Festival.
The quartet is currently artist in residence at the Singer-Polignac Foundation in Paris, Proquartet-European Center for Chamber Music and Britten Pears Young Artists for the 2022/23 season. They were previously residents at the Villa Musica Foundation in Germany and the Dimore Del Quartetto in Italy. Aware of the need to bring music to all audiences, including hospitals, nursing homes and those of disadvantaged backgrounds, their partnership with Proquartet and Live Music Now is also particularly close to their hearts.
Credit: Issey Nadaud
