Evening of the Czech Republic, Wihan quartet, Czech Republic

In 2015 the Wihan Quartet celebrated 30 years since its formation, and over the years it has developed an outstanding reputation for the interpretation of its native Czech heritage, and of the many classical, romantic and modern masterpieces of the string quartet repertoire. The Quartet’s recording of Dvorak Op.34/Op.105 was chosen as a ‘Recording of the Year’ by MusicWeb International and BBC Music Magazine said of their Dvorak Op.61 recording: ‘This is the finest recorded performance I have encountered to date’. During the 2012/13 season the Quartet was Czech Chamber Music Society Resident Ensemble at the Rudolfinum Dvorak Hall, Prague. The Wihan Quartet has won many International Competitions including The Prague Spring Festival and the Osaka ‘Chamber Festa’.  In 1991, they won both the First Prize and the Audience Prize in the London International String Quartet Competition. They are quartet in residence at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. Former members of the quartet include Jiří Zigmund who retired from the Wihan Quartet in 2014 and cellist Ales Kasprik who retired in 2017 after 32 years as a member of the ensemble. They were replaced by excellent viola player in Jakub Čepický, son of long-standing quartet violinist Leoš and the outstanding cellist Michal Kanka.