Et Arsis Piano Quartett
Hristina Taneva-piano, Velislava Taneva-violin, Ainis Kasperavičius-viola and Diego Hernández Suárez-violoncello – came into being in 2005, and since then the ensemble has been won many prizes at different international competitions. In 2007 they were winner of second prize at the 14th Walter Gieseking Competition in Saarbrücken, Germany. In 2008 and 2010 the quartet was specially awarded by the Bruno and Elisabeth Meindl Charity Foundation. In 2009 it won first prize at the 7th Ecoparque de Trasmiera International Chamber Music Competition in Spain. Following its successful appearance at the Competition for Chamber Ensembles in Hanover, Germany (2009), organised by the Friedrich Jürgen Sellheim Society, the quartet was among eight ensembles whose concert activities and promotion were under the auspices of the society for two years. After successful participation in “Open audition” of Kulturradio WDR3, Et Arsis Piano Quartett is supported by the Radio itself. In 2011 the ensemble was awarded with “Interclassica-Special Prize for the coming most prosperous piano quartet”. The prize is awarded by Eleanor Hope, the president of the renowned international art agency “Interclassica Music Management”. In November 2011 the quartet won first prize in the 16th International Competition Certamen International de Jóvenes Intérpretes “Pedro Bote” in Villafranca de los Barros, Spain. As a contribution to this award there were several engagements for concerts in renowned halls in Spain.

Admired by both audience and critiques for their “subtle, well-balanced and colourful playing”, Et Arsis Piano Quartett has performed many concerts in Germany, receiving many positive press reviews, which encourages the young musicians to scale the heights of chamber music art. They have also given many concerts in other European countries, such as Spain, Bulgaria, Austria, France, Lithuania, etc. and have participated in a number of international festivals: the 14th Sofia Summer Festival (Bulgaria), the Sopelana Summer Music Series, the 24th Zumaia Music Festival, the San Sebastian Music Days (Spain), the Homburger Meisterkonzerte (Germany), the Festival for Contemporary Music “Iš arti” in Kaunas (Lithuania) and the 9th International Festival of Music Goslar-Harz (Germany).

Et Arsis Piano Quartett has a diverse repertoire ranging from classical and romantic music to the newest compositions by contemporary composers. The German composer Theo Brandmüller entrusted them with performing and making a radio recording of his newest piano quartet, “Nachtflug mit Messiaenfenster” (2008). In November 2009 the quartet played the first performance of the piano quartets by D.Kairaitytė, D.Rokaitė and A.Brilius as well.

Et Arsis Piano Quartett has also made studio recordings for Saarland Radio (SR) and concert recordings for South West German Radio (SWR), West German Radio (WDR) and Bulgarian Television, which made a Profile of the quartet during their tour in the country in 2008.

Important influence and supporting for professional and artistic developing the quartet obtains from Tatevik Mokatsian, Eduard Brunner, Bruno Canino, Eberhard Feltz, Hatto Beyerle, Ferenc Rados, Sebastian Hamann, Tanja Becker-Bender, Heime Müller, Ralf Gothoni, Johannes Meissl, Richard Young, the Artemis-Quartett, the Vogler-Quartett, the Mozart Piano Quartet and the Quatuor Ysaÿe. In 2009 and 2011, following the Eduard Brunner’s invitation for performing together, Et Arsis Piano Quartett played with him on different stages. At the moment Et Arsis Piano Quartett is very intensively working with Andreas Reiner.

Since the spring of 2012 the members of Et Arsis Piano Quartett teach chamber music at the University of Music in Saarbrücken (Germany).

In 2013 a new project of Et Arsis Piano Quartett was started in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria – an annual Chamber music festival “European tradition and young talents”. Together with performing of world famous musicians, master classes for junior musicians are going to be proposed.