ABOUT US
ABOUT US
The Weinberg Quartet has been acclaimed by the international press for its exceptional professional standard, impeccable taste, technical perfection, energy, talent and an uncanny ability to surprise their audiences while remaining true to the stylistic nuances of the music.
One of the most highly acclaimed chamber music ensembles in Russia, the Weinberg Quartet has been active both on the concert stage and in music education for more than twenty years. Originally founded in 2001 under the name Rusquartet, the award-winning quartet has performed on many of the world’s leading stages.
The Weinberg Quartet has participated in international festivals such as the Banff Summer Arts Festival (Canada), CONSONANCES (Saint-Nazaire, France) and the Mecklenburg Music Festival (Germany). They served as the special quartet in residence of the Orlando Festival (the Netherlands) from 2016 until the very last edition (2022), giving countless concerts and coaching many young professional ensembles.
The Weinberg Quartet has shared the stage with many famous musicians at prestigious concert venues, such as the Grand, Small and Rachmaninov Halls of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the Moscow Philharmonic and the Moscow International House of Music, Musikverein (Vienna), Essen Philharmonie (Germany), Philharmonie de Paris (France) and Rolston Recital Hall at the Banff Centre (Canada). The Weinberg Quartet has performed in Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, Canada, Australia and China. It has released four CDs on the Belgian label Etcetera.
One of the most highly acclaimed chamber music ensembles in Russia, the Weinberg Quartet has been active both on the concert stage and in music education for more than twenty years. Originally founded in 2001 under the name Rusquartet, the award-winning quartet has performed on many of the world’s leading stages.
The Weinberg Quartet has participated in international festivals such as the Banff Summer Arts Festival (Canada), CONSONANCES (Saint-Nazaire, France) and the Mecklenburg Music Festival (Germany). They served as the special quartet in residence of the Orlando Festival (the Netherlands) from 2016 until the very last edition (2022), giving countless concerts and coaching many young professional ensembles.
The Weinberg Quartet has shared the stage with many famous musicians at prestigious concert venues, such as the Grand, Small and Rachmaninov Halls of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the Moscow Philharmonic and the Moscow International House of Music, Musikverein (Vienna), Essen Philharmonie (Germany), Philharmonie de Paris (France) and Rolston Recital Hall at the Banff Centre (Canada). The Weinberg Quartet has performed in Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, Canada, Australia and China. It has released four CDs on the Belgian label Etcetera.
In addition to the classical quartet repertoire, ranging from Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven to Shostakovich, Bartók, Schoenberg and Berg, the Weinberg Quartet actively promotes music by modern composers, often presenting premiere performances. The Weinberg Quartet’s musical treasure trove includes works by composers such as Samuil Feinberg, Mikhail Marutaev, Tomas Korganov, Alexander Lokshin, Lex van Delden, Oscar van Hemel, Louis Andriessen, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Steve Martland, Jonathan Dove and Olli Mustonen. Jonathan Dove’s String Quartet No. 4 ‘How we spent the night’, Alexander Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 8 and Vladislav Agafonnikov’s string quartet ‘The Poem’ were composed especially for the Weinberg Quartet.
The members of the Weinberg Quartet have all received training as soloists and are laureates of international competitions. At present, these outstanding musicians serve on the faculty of the Gnessins School and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
The Weinberg Quartet organises concerts and educational musical events to support and further develop string quartet playing. The quartet presents concert lectures for children and youth, and has appeared many times on TV and radio, with such broadcasters as CBC Radio (Canada), Dutch National Radio, SBS Radio (Australia), Orpheus Radio, Russia Today and Al Jazeera.
The members of the Weinberg Quartet have all received training as soloists and are laureates of international competitions. At present, these outstanding musicians serve on the faculty of the Gnessins School and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
The Weinberg Quartet organises concerts and educational musical events to support and further develop string quartet playing. The quartet presents concert lectures for children and youth, and has appeared many times on TV and radio, with such broadcasters as CBC Radio (Canada), Dutch National Radio, SBS Radio (Australia), Orpheus Radio, Russia Today and Al Jazeera.
The Weinberg Quartet has released six CDs so far:
1. Oclassica
J. Haydn: Op. 76 No. 3 “Kaiser”
S. Prokofiev No. 2 (2012)
2. Moscow Conservatory Records
S. Tanejev: String quartet No. 6 Op. 19
V. Shebalin: String quartet No. 4 Op. 29 (2015)
3. Etcetera Records
P. I. Tchaikovsky: String Quartets No. 1 Op. 11, No. 2 Op. 22, Movement (2018)
4. Etcetera Records
P. I. Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No. 3 Op. 30, “Souvenir de Florence” for string sextet Op. 70 (2019)
5. Etcetera Records
W. A. Mozart: Requiem & Grande sestetto concertante (2019)
6. Etcetera Records
L. van Beethoven: String quartets Op. 59 No. 1 & No. 3 (“Razumovsky”) (2020).
The CD of Mozart’s Requiem arranged for string quartet was awarded a ‘Silver Star’ as the best chamber music CD at the Music & Stars Awards.
1. Oclassica
J. Haydn: Op. 76 No. 3 “Kaiser”
S. Prokofiev No. 2 (2012)
2. Moscow Conservatory Records
S. Tanejev: String quartet No. 6 Op. 19
V. Shebalin: String quartet No. 4 Op. 29 (2015)
3. Etcetera Records
P. I. Tchaikovsky: String Quartets No. 1 Op. 11, No. 2 Op. 22, Movement (2018)
4. Etcetera Records
P. I. Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No. 3 Op. 30, “Souvenir de Florence” for string sextet Op. 70 (2019)
5. Etcetera Records
W. A. Mozart: Requiem & Grande sestetto concertante (2019)
6. Etcetera Records
L. van Beethoven: String quartets Op. 59 No. 1 & No. 3 (“Razumovsky”) (2020).
The CD of Mozart’s Requiem arranged for string quartet was awarded a ‘Silver Star’ as the best chamber music CD at the Music & Stars Awards.
Ksenia GamarisViolin
Anna YanchishinaViolin
Ivan AgafonovViola
Peter KaretnikovCello
Violin
Ksenia Gamaris
Xenia graduated from the Gnessins Moscow Special School of Music and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She continued her postgraduate studies under the guidance of Eduard Grach. A laureate of several international competitions, Xenia is currently engaged as a lecturer in chamber music and string quartet performance at the Gnessins School.
Ever since 1993, Xenia has performed in many European countries, as well as China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, Mexico and Russia. She has given concerts at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, such as the Grand and Small Halls of the Moscow State Conservatory, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Tokyo Opera City, the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Additionally, she participated in some of the world’s prestigious music festivals, such as Festival Semaines Musicales de Tur (France), Sion-Valais (Switzerland), Keshet-Eilon (Israel), Bemus (Belgrade), and the Diaghilev Festival, and performed at festivals in Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Cyprus, China, Vietnam, the Netherlands and France. Among the musicians with whom she shared the concert stage were Shlomo Mintz, Ida Haendel, Alexander Vedernikov, Itamar Golan and Vladimir Spivakov.
Xenia joined the Weinberg Quartet, formerly known as Rusquartet, as its first violinist in 2015.
Ever since 1993, Xenia has performed in many European countries, as well as China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, Mexico and Russia. She has given concerts at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, such as the Grand and Small Halls of the Moscow State Conservatory, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Tokyo Opera City, the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Additionally, she participated in some of the world’s prestigious music festivals, such as Festival Semaines Musicales de Tur (France), Sion-Valais (Switzerland), Keshet-Eilon (Israel), Bemus (Belgrade), and the Diaghilev Festival, and performed at festivals in Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Cyprus, China, Vietnam, the Netherlands and France. Among the musicians with whom she shared the concert stage were Shlomo Mintz, Ida Haendel, Alexander Vedernikov, Itamar Golan and Vladimir Spivakov.
Xenia joined the Weinberg Quartet, formerly known as Rusquartet, as its first violinist in 2015.
Viola
Ivan Agafonov
Ivan graduated with honours from the Moscow State Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He continued his viola studies at the Zurich University of Arts with Christoph Schiller, and participated in the conducting class of Mark Kishotsi.
Ivan is a laureate of several international competitions and currently serves as a lecturer in viola at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
Ivan performs both as a soloist and as a member of various chamber ensembles, chamber orchestras and symphony orchestras. As a soloist, he has performed with such orchestras as the Giraud Ensemble, the Eurasian Soloists Orchestra and the Ivanovo State Philharmonic Society. From 2017 to 2023, he was the associate leader of the viola section of the Russian National Orchestra.
Ivan acts as a curator of music programmes for the Festival of Music and Science. He has extensive experience in teaching and giving master classes in his home country as well as abroad. He regularly serves as jury member. His students have gone on to become laureates and winners of several international competitions.
Violin
Anna Yanchishina
Anna graduated from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Her career started at the age of 9, when she made her debut as a soloist, with a symphony orchestra at the Bolshoi Theatre.
At present, she is Associate Professor of chamber music and string quartet performance at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, as well as Assistant Professor at the violin department.
Anna is a founding member of the Weinberg Quartet (formerly Rusquartet). She is a laureate of international competitions and has participated as a soloist in festivals such as Mozartino (Italy), Musike (Great Britain) and the Banff Summer Festival (Canada). The conductors under whose baton she has performed include Alexander Lazarev and Jean-Bernard Pommier. As a chamber musician, Anna has performed with Philip Setzer (Emerson Quartet), Phillipe Graffin and the Borromeo String Quartet.
At present, she is Associate Professor of chamber music and string quartet performance at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, as well as Assistant Professor at the violin department.
Anna is a founding member of the Weinberg Quartet (formerly Rusquartet). She is a laureate of international competitions and has participated as a soloist in festivals such as Mozartino (Italy), Musike (Great Britain) and the Banff Summer Festival (Canada). The conductors under whose baton she has performed include Alexander Lazarev and Jean-Bernard Pommier. As a chamber musician, Anna has performed with Philip Setzer (Emerson Quartet), Phillipe Graffin and the Borromeo String Quartet.
Cello
Peter Karetnikov
Peter started playing the violoncello at an early age, enrolling at the Moscow Secondary Special Music School in 1992. In 2012 he graduated from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He performed the Schumann concerto as a soloist. In 2006 and 2007 he studied chamber music with Valentin Berlinsky, cellist and founding member of the Borodin Quartet. He also participated in master classes by Mstislav Rostropovich and the Danel Quartet.
He composed a string quartet on the theme of the 24th Paganini caprice, and has made a transcription for cello and string orchestra of the Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations as well as Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’.
Peter joined the Weinberg Quartet (formerly Rusquartet) in 2012.
From 2011 to 2016, he served as principal cellist of the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra, with which he made several solo recordings. Peter joined Gradsky Hall chamber orchestra as principal cellist in 2015. He also performs in jazz concerts with pianist Vitaly Kovalenko, double bassist Sergei Sokuler and drummer Leonid Khaykin.
He composed a string quartet on the theme of the 24th Paganini caprice, and has made a transcription for cello and string orchestra of the Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations as well as Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’.
Peter joined the Weinberg Quartet (formerly Rusquartet) in 2012.
From 2011 to 2016, he served as principal cellist of the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra, with which he made several solo recordings. Peter joined Gradsky Hall chamber orchestra as principal cellist in 2015. He also performs in jazz concerts with pianist Vitaly Kovalenko, double bassist Sergei Sokuler and drummer Leonid Khaykin.