Chamber Music Series: ConTempo Quartet: Of Woods and Water

Bogdan Sofei, violin
Ingrid Nicola, violin
Andreea Banciu, viola
Adrian Mantu, cello

Haydn String Quartet in B flat Op.1 No.1 La Chasse [c. 1757]
Judith Ring Of Woods and Water [2022]
Dvořák Cypresses (selection) [1887]
Janáček On an overgrown path (selection) [1900-1911] arr. for string quartet
Beethoven String Quartet in E flat Op.74 The Harp [1809]

Formed in 1995 in Bucharest and based in Ireland since 2003 as Galway Music Residency’s Ensemble in Residence, the ConTempo Quartet is one of the most exciting and vibrant chamber ensembles performing today. 

They open our autumn quartet season with Haydn’s brilliant and uplifting Op.1 No.1, the first of his sixty-eight extraordinary string quartets which have inspired composers, musicians and audiences ever since.

Judith Ring’s Of Woods and Water was written in 2022 for the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival in Virginia, USA. It pays homage to two folks tunes, one of Irish origin and one of American origin – Cooney’s Reel and Old Joe Clark

Dvořák’s Cypresses is a collection of love songs arranged for string quartet by the composer, and Janáček’s On an overgrown path is a series of piano pieces, also arranged for quartet, which contain distant reminiscences… so dear to me that I do not think they will ever vanish.

Beethoven wrote three of his best loved and most serene masterpieces in 1809, the Emperor piano concerto, the piano sonata Les Adieux and this magnificent quartet, all in the warm and radiant key of E flat major. The quartet is full of confidence, lyricism and dramatic contrasts, the work of our greatest composer at the height of his powers.

Formed in 1995 in Bucharest, ConTempo Quartet is recognised as one of the most exciting and vibrant chamber ensembles performing today. The quartet was chosen as Galway Music Residency / MusicConnects’ Ensemble in Residence in 2003, and continues in this role today. 

The quartet has won a record 14 International prizes in competitions, including 1st Prize at GrosserForderpreise Competition in Munich-Germany, 1st Prize at Valentino Bucchi competition in Rome-Italy, 1st Prize at Tunnel Trust Competition in London-UK, 1st Prize at Mozart competition in Romania, 2nd Prize at Johannes Brahms International Competition in Hamburg-Germany, Audience Prize and 3rd Prize at London String Quartet Competition in UK, 3rd Prize at Schubert und die Musik der Moderne Competition in Graz-Austria, 3rd Prize at Max Reger Competition in Weimar-Germany, The Wigmore Award-London and The Romanian Musical Critics Union Prize in Bucharest. 

In 2013 ConTempo Quartet was appointed RTÉ’s Quartet in Residence and in 2016 the members of the quartet were awarded Honorary Doctorates in Music from University of Galway for their service to Galway in the areas of music performance and education. 

As the name suggests they have frequently been involved in new music performances, commissions and events, for example as ensemble in residence at the Irish Composition Summer School and they have premiered many Irish composers such as Jane O’Leary, Raymond Deane, Kevin Volans, John Kinsella, Gráinne Mulvey, John McLachlan, Deirdre McKay, Greg Caffrey, Ed Bennett, Marian Ingoldsby, Dave Flynn and Andrew Hamilton. 

As of spring 2021, the ensemble has delivered more than 1,800 performances across 46 countries, and has performed before Pope John Paul II, the then Prince Charles and Nelson Mandela. The group has worked with other quartets, including The Vanbrugh in Ireland, and the Amadeus, Arditti, Casals and Endellion. 

Bogdan Sofei is the leader and a founding member of ConTempo Quartet. Bogdan graduated from the University of Music in Bucharest where he studied with Ladislau Csendes and Stefan Gheorghiu. He continued his studies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, Royal Academy of Music in London, Academia Chigiana in Siena, European Academy of Music in Aix-en Province, Britten – Pears School for Advanced Music Studies in Aldeburgh and Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid. In addition, Bogdan received his MA in Music at Cork School of Music, in 2005. On 10th June 2016 Bogdan and his colleagues from ConTempo Quartet were awarded a Doctorate of Music (honoris causa) by the University of Galway for their contribution to music and education in the West of Ireland. As the leader of ConTempo Quartet, he has studied with the most celebrated string quartets in the world including Amadeus, Alban Berg, Tokyo, Emerson and Hagen Quartets and with musicians such as Diemut Poppen, Petra Mullejans, Piero Farulli, David Takeno, Laurence Lesser and Gilbert Kalish. Bogdan has won several international and national competitions in Italy and Romania, as well as numerous international prizes as first violinist of ConTempo Quartet. He has toured the world extensively, performing at many major international festivals in Europe, Canada, and the United States. 

Ingrid Nicola is a violinist and founding member of ConTempo quartet. She is a chamber music visiting teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and has taught at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Gedai University of Music Tokyo, DIT and Cork School of Music. Ingrid graduated from the University of Music in Bucharest where she studied with Daniel Podlovschi and Ladislau Csendes. She continued her studies through various residencies including the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, Royal Academy of Music in London, Accademia Chigiana in Siena, European Academy of Music in Aix-en Province, Britten, Pierce School for Advanced Music Studies in Aldeburgh and Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid. Ingrid received her Masters of Arts in Music with First Class Honours at Cork School of Music in 2005. In 2015, Ingrid was awarded a Diploma in Child Psychology(O.A.DIP). On 10th June 2016 Ingrid and her colleagues from ConTempo Quartet were awarded Doctorates of Music (honoris causa) by the University of Galway for their contribution to music and education in the West of Ireland. Ingrid has studied with some of the most celebrated string quartets of the world, such as Amadeus, Alban Berg, Tokyo, Emerson and Hagen quartets, and with musicians such as Diemut Poppen, Petra Mullejans, Piero Farulli, David Takeno, Laurence Lesser and Gilbert Kalish. As part of ConTempo Quartet, Ingrid has won 14 International Prizes in Chamber Music Competitions (London, Munich, Berlin, Prague, Graz, Hamburg, Rome). She has performed over 2000 concerts around the world in 42 countries. Since September 2018, Ingrid has been a conductor and teacher for Galway Youth Orchestra. 

Andreea Banciu is the violist and a founding member of the ConTempo Quartet. She has also been a chamber music visiting teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music since 2014. As part of ConTempo Quartet, Andreea has won 14 International Prizes in Chamber Music Competitions (London, Munich, Berlin, Prague, Graz, Hamburg, Rome). She has performed over 2000 concerts around the world in 42 countries (in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Tel-Aviv Opera, Gedai Tokyo, NCH) performing a huge range of String Quartet works and many concertos (including Bach, Telemann, Mozart, Weber, Elgar, Williams & Howells). Andreea has appeared in two feature films as a supporting actress including “Trop tard”, which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. On 10th June 2016 Andreea and her colleagues from ConTempo Quartet were awarded Doctorates of Music (honoris causa) by the University of Galway for their contribution to music and education in the West of Ireland. Andreea loves Seafood chowder, a good flat white with some home-made rhubarb or apple tart and fresh cream; having breakfast in a Connemara café or a picnic in a rose garden; smelling the roses on a nice summer day; going for a walk on the beach; old castles; playing music with friends and dreaming about wandering Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. 

Adrian Mantu is the cellist and a founding member of the ConTempo Quartet, Galway’s Ensemble in Residence. He is also the curator of Our Tunes/Dublin Music Town and a cello/chamber music Fellow Teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Adrian has won 16 International Prizes in Cello & Chamber Music Competitions (London, Munich, Berlin, Prague, Bucharest, Graz, Hamburg, Sofia, Rome). He has performed over 2000 concerts around the world in 46 countries (in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Tel-Aviv Opera, Carnegie Hall, Gedai Tokyo, NCH) performing a huge range of works including the Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Bartok & Shostakovich String Quartet Cycles and the essential cello concertos. Adrian composed and arranged the music for feature film “Trop Tard”, which was selected for Cannes Film Festival. Adrian is currently completing a DMusPerf at Trinity/Royal Irish Academy of Music focusing on the string quartet literature in Ireland, one hundred years after the Rising. On 10th June 2016 Adrian and his colleagues from the ConTempo Quartet were awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music (honoris causa) for their contribution to music performance and education in the West of Ireland by the University of Galway. 

Presented by NCH in association with the National String Quartet Foundation