Quatuor Molinari

Quatuor Molinari is a Canadian nonprofit string quartet established in 1997, internationally acclaimed for its dedication to performing, commissioning, and promoting contemporary works from the 20th and 21st centuries. Registered under the business number 885615161RR0001, the ensemble is recognized as one of Canada’s leading string quartets and has earned significant recognition for its contribution to contemporary chamber music.

Overview

Since its inception, Quatuor Molinari has focused on the performance and promotion of modern repertoire for string quartet, including numerous Canadian compositions. The ensemble actively commissions new works and fosters dialogue between musicians, artists, and audiences, aiming to expand the appreciation of contemporary music. It has been lauded by critics and audiences alike as an "essential" and "prodigious" ensemble, often compared to renowned groups such as the Kronos and Arditti Quartets[1][2][3][5].

Members

The quartet’s current lineup includes:

• Olga Ranzenhofer – violin, artistic director
• Antoine Bareil – violin
• Frédéric Lambert – viola
• Pierre-Alain Bouvrette – cello[2][3][5]

Repertoire and Musical Focus

Quatuor Molinari’s repertoire is notably extensive and eclectic, emphasizing 20th- and 21st-century works. It includes many Canadian quartets, most prominently the complete 13 string quartets by R. Murray Schafer. Their international repertoire features compositions by a broad range of influential composers such as Béla Bartók, Alban Berg, Benjamin Britten, Claude Debussy, Henri Dutilleux, Philip Glass, Sofia Gubaidulina, György Kurtág, György Ligeti, Witold Lutosławski, Bohuslav Martinů, Krzysztof Penderecki, Maurice Ravel, Giacinto Scelsi, Alfred Schnittke, Dmitri Shostakovich, Anton Webern, and John Zorn, among others[2][3][5].

Achievements and Recognition

Quatuor Molinari has been awarded numerous accolades, including over twenty-seven Opus Prizes from the Quebec Music Council, which highlight musical excellence within the province’s concert scene. The quartet’s commitment to contemporary music and its distinguished artistic quality have established it as a major cultural presence in Canada and internationally[2][3][5].

Initiatives

In 2001, the quartet launched the Molinari Quartet International Competition for Composition, which has become a significant platform encouraging new music creation worldwide. Over its eight editions, the competition attracted more than 1,000 new string quartet scores from 75 countries, reinforcing the ensemble’s role in supporting contemporary composers and expanding the string quartet repertoire[3].

Quatuor Molinari continues to be an influential force in contemporary music through its performances, commissions, educational outreach, and international collaborations, maintaining a vital link between new music and diverse audiences.