As they are fond of seldom visited musical territories, the musicians of the Habanera Quartet have made their way according to the artists they have met since 1993. Unprejudiced, they sail on different stages, from contemporary creations to unusual repertoires and transcriptions, from world music to improvised music.
Quatuor Habanera
After studying in the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMD) where the Habanera Quartet was awarded a first chamber music prize, it has made up a probably unique record with eight first international chamber music prizes (Bordeaux, Sanguinetto, Düsseldorf, Osaka).
The Habanera Quartet has recorded for Alpha productions since the latter’s creation. From Mysterious morning (Alpha 010), an overview of contemporary works (by Ligeti, Xenakis, Donatoni ...) to their record devoted to Glazounov, Grieg and Dvorak (Alpha 041) not to mention their meeting with Louis Sclavis for their common CD L’engrenage, the specialized music press praises their eclectism, giving them numerous awards (Golden Diapason, recommended by Classica and Répertoire).
Year after year, the Habanera Quartet is more and more widely heard in France (Théâtre de la Ville, Opera comique , “Folles journées” in Nantes, “Festival de l’Epau”, IRCAM, Radio France, “Académie Bach”…) and all around the world (Japan, China, USA, Canada, Europe). Classical musicians without tail coats, they wish to desacralize classical concerts, coming up with Bach, Steve Reich, Dvorak and Ligeti in the same night. Louis Sclavis, Dave Liebman, Richard Galliano, Michel Portal or David Krakauer have not been mistaken as they blend with the strong framework of the quartet when they improvise.
Christian Wirth (soprano saxophone), Sylvain Malézieux (alto saxophone), Fabrizio Mancuso (tenor saxophone) et Gilles Tressos (baritone saxophone).
Photo credit: Arthur Pequin - Artkas
