The Barbican Quartet is a highly acclaimed string ensemble founded in 2014 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. The group is known for its "intimately powerful" performances and rose to international prominence after winning First Prize at the 2022 ARD International Music Competition in Munich. Current Members The quartet consists of four international musicians who divide their time between London and Munich: Amarins Wierdsma (Violin) – Plays a Guadagnini violin on loan from the Dutch Musical Instrument Foundation. Kate Maloney (Violin) – Joined the ensemble after its founding; plays a 1685 Francesco Ruggieri violin. Christoph Slenczka (Viola) – Performs on a 2010 Bernd Hiller viola. Yoanna Prodanova (Cello) – Plays a 1782 Giovanni Gagliano cello on loan from the Canimex Group. Major Achievements & Discography ARD International Music Competition (2022): In addition to the First Prize, they swept four special awards, including the prize for the best interpretation of a commissioned work. Other Competitions: First Prize at the 2019 Joseph Joachim International Chamber Music Competition and the 2018 St Martin-in-the-Fields Competition. Debut Album: Released Manifesto on Love (2024) under the Genuin Classics label, featuring works by Janáček and Schumann. Second Album: Lux Intus ("Light Within") released in early 2026. The ensemble's name reflects both its inaugural performance at the Barbican Centre and the "barbican" as a symbol of their mission to defend and develop the string quartet tradition. <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Barbican+Quartet">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.