Yet another string quartet? No. Within all the present abundance, this group leaves a mark of its own. It has developed into an outstanding ensemble with just the right players in the right place. Among a number of remarkable primarias, Eugenia Ottaviano has turned out to be one of the finest, combining virtuoso control with fire, sensitivity and imagination“. Alfred Brendel
Named after Schubert’s song Alinde, the Alinde Quartet ranks among the leading chamber music ensembles of its generation. Internationally acclaimed for its stylistic versatility and its refined dialogue between tradition and the present, the quartet is one of the few ensembles equally at home on modern instruments and on gut strings. This dual sound culture defines its distinctive tone – spanning from the transparency of early music practice to the expressive depth of the Romantic and contemporary repertoire.
This artistic openness has taken the ensemble to prestigious stages such as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, at the Glocke Bremen and the Konzerthaus Berlin, as well as to renowned festivals including the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and the Verbier Festival. In the past season, the quartet was Portrait Artist of the Cologne Philharmonie, presenting concert projects ranging from classical quartet performances to cross-genre collaborations with artists such as Iveta Apkalna and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.
Shaped by mentors such as Eberhard Feltz, Günter Pichler, and Rainer Schmidt, the Alinde Quartet combines analytical precision with vibrant expressivity and a strong sense of tonal balance.
Since 2018, the ensemble has been realizing the extraordinary recording project #Schubert200 in collaboration with Hänssler Classic and Deutschlandfunk: by 2028 – the 200th anniversary of Schubert’s death – the complete string quartets of the composer will be released, each paired with a contemporary commissioned work. The albums published so far have received wide international acclaim and reveal a multifaceted portrait of Schubert, oscillating between introspection and modernity.
Beyond the concert stage, the quartet is deeply committed to music education and outreach. Through open rehearsals, school projects, and family concerts at venues such as the Cologne Philharmonie and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the ensemble invites children and young audiences to experience chamber music in a lively and engaging way. Most recently, it realized the large-scale educational program Musikalisches Kaleidoskop in North Rhine-Westphalia, reaching more than 1,500 students and standing as an exemplary model of the quartet’s creative educational work.
Concert highlights of the current season include the ensemble’s debut at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and at the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg-Hohenems.
With its deep roots in Schubert’s music, its engagement with historical performance practice, and its open outlook toward the present, the Alinde Quartet builds bridges between eras, styles, and generations.