Quatuor Ébène

About

Quatuor Ébène is a French string quartet founded in 1999 at the Boulogne-Billancourt Conservatory. The ensemble rose to international prominence after winning first prize at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich in 2004, and has since built a reputation for a repertoire that spans Beethoven and Bartók through to jazz and crossover. Acclaimed recordings for Virgin Classics and Erato have earned the quartet prizes from Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine and the Midem Classic Award. Since early 2024 the lineup comprises Pierre Colombet and Gabriel Le Magadure (violins), Marie Chilemme (viola) and Japanese cellist Yuya Okamoto, who succeeded founding member Raphaël Merlin.

175.7K

monthly listeners on Spotify

ARD International Music Competition Munich 2004 - first prize and audience prize

130+

concerts per year after the ARD victory in 2004

continents for the Beethoven Around the World recording (2019-2020)

What's new

2026-08
Quatuor Ébène received the Musikfest Bremen Prize in August 2026, an award for outstanding international artists who enrich international musical life.
2026
In 2026, Quatuor Ébène is quartet-in-residence at Beethovenfest Bonn.
2024-06
In June 2024, the ensemble presented 'Waves', a new project together with electronic sound artist Xavier Triboulet.
2024-01
Cellist Yuya Okamoto officially joined the quartet in early 2024 as successor to founder Raphaël Merlin, who left after nearly 25 years.
2023
The recording of Mozart's string quintets K. 515 and K. 516 with violist Antoine Tamestit was released in spring 2023 and received, among others, the Diapason d'Or and the Gramophone Recording of the Month.