Terpsycordes quartet

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Terpsycordes Quartet is
Girolamo Bottiglieri, first violin
Raya Raytcheva, second violin
Caroline Cohen Adad, viola
Florestan Darbellay, cello

The Terpsycordes Quartet redefines the relationship between a musical ensemble and its audience. It invents new ways of listening to a chamber music concert, and is committed to reaching out to both disadvantaged audiences and young people, in order to pass on its art to as many people as possible.

The Terpsycordes Quartet is the story of a friendship that has lasted for over 25 years. Formed in Geneva in 1997, guided by the artistic vision of Gábor Takács-Nagy and nurtured by the teaching of members of the Amadeus, Budapest, Hagen, Lasalle and Mosaïques quartets, the Terpsycordes Quartet quickly conquered the musical scene, winning the First Prize at the Geneva Competition in 2001. Encounters with major 20th-century composers (György Kurtág, Sofia Goubaïdoulina), as well as with leading figures from the Baroque world (Gabriel Garrido, Chiara Banchini, Florence Malgoire, Leonardo García Alarcón), helped to define and refine the Quartet's aesthetic development. Today, its members continue to collaborate regularly with partners from different horizons, joining ensembles such as the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, Cappella Mediterranea, Gli Angeli Genève, Contrechamps, l'Armée des Romantiques and Elyma. These experiences allow the Terpsycordes Quartet to take an ever-new look at its repertoire. Freedom and risk-taking are at the heart of its work, marked by a constant search for balance between group cohesion and individual expression, respect for the text and independence in relation to the score.

The Terpsycordes Quartet's repertoire ranges from the pre-classical period to contemporary works. Since 2021, it has been performing the complete quartets of Joseph Haydn on period instruments at the Musée d'art et d'histoire de Genève, while maintaining a special relationship with 20th-century composers from Geneva. A new album devoted entirely to the work of Frank Martin will be released by Claves Records in spring 2024, adding to a critically acclaimed discography that ranges from Haydn to Piazzolla.

The Quatuor Terpsycordes is actively involved in social and educational projects: it offers concerts in partnership with foundations, associations and institutions for people with disabilities, people in precarious situations or people in detention. It also works with schoolchildren in the city of Geneva. It transcends convention by offering unique experiences designed to share its passion: whether through open-air concerts in unusual locations, musical bike rides or public rehearsals, it creates original opportunities to bring the magic of chamber music to a wide range of audiences.

The Terpsycordes Quartet is supported by the City of Geneva and the Republic and Canton of Geneva.