Biography

Tetzlaff Quartet

Thanks to a shared passion for chamber music, in 1992 Christian and Tanja Tetzlaff along with Hanna Weinmeister and Elisabeth Kufferath founded a string quartet, which has been actively performing since 1994 and has become indispensable on international concert podiums. In 2024, the quartet celebrates its 30th anniversary. The ensemble sets high standards with its sensitive musicality and sophisticated sound culture, developed in particular as a result of their bond and long friendship. In recent years, they have established a broad repertoire without giving up their energy and curiosity for new things, which always inspires them.

Regular concerts take the Tetzlaff Quartet to major international concert halls such as the Carnegie Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wigmore Hall (London), Gewandhaus Leipzig, Philharmonie Luxembourg, the Musikverein Vienna and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, as well as to renowned festivals such as the Musikfest Berlin and Heidelberger Frühling. Highlights of the 2024/25 season include concerts at London’s Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Elbphilharmonie, Berliner Philharmnoie, Kölner Philharmonie, Philharmonie Luxembourg and Davies Hall in San Francisco.

The quartet’s first recording with music by Schönberg and Sibelius, was released by CAvi-music in 2010, followed in 2013 by a recording of works by Berg and Mendelssohn, which received the prestigious ‘Diapasond’or’. In 2017, Ondine released a recording of music by Haydn and Schubert and, in 2020, a recording of two of Beethoven’s late string quartets.

Christian Tetzlaff, violin

Equally at home with Classical, Romantic, and 20th century repertoires, Christian Tetzlaff leaves a mark of excellence with his interpretations of the great violin concertos. As a soloist and chamber musician, he regularly appears in all international music capitals. He plays a violin made by Peter Greiner.

Elisabeth Kufferath, violin

Since 2009, Elisabeth Kufferath has been a Professor of Violin at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover. She is a sought-after chamber musician and is committed to contemporary music, including premieres by Manfred Trojhan and Elliott Carter, among others. She plays a Peter Greiner violin.

Hanna Weinmeister, viola

She has been First Concertmaster at Opernhaus Zürich since 1998. She plays a Peter Greiner viola.

Tanja Tetzlaff, cello

As a soloist and chamber musician, Tanja Tetzlaff performs concerts across Europe, the USA, Australia, and Japan and is regularly a guest at international festivals. She plays a violoncello of Giovanni Battista Guadagnini from 1776.