About the Ensemble

Founded in the United Kingdom in 2010, the Ligeti Quartet is named after the iconic Hungarian avant-garde composer György Ligeti, carrying forward his innovative and boundary-breaking artistic spirit. As one of the most influential contemporary string quartets internationally, the ensemble stands at the forefront of modern chamber music, celebrated for its eclectic programming, commitment to emerging composers, and continuous exploration of new expressive possibilities for the string quartet.

The quartet consists of four outstanding young musicians:
1st Violin: Freya Goldmark
2nd Violin: Patrick Dawkins
Viola: Dominic Richard Stokes
Cello: Valerie Welbanks

The ensemble has appeared at prestigious venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre. It also regularly performs in art galleries, planetariums and alternative spaces, bringing contemporary music closer to wider audiences.

The quartet collaborates closely with leading contemporary composers globally, premiering numerous newly commissioned and arranged works. Its 2023 album Nuc was praised by BBC Music Magazine as “full of surprise and illumination”. Its earlier collaborative album Songbook Volume 1 with Christian Mason received high acclaim from Gramophone Magazine.
In the centenary year of György Ligeti’s birth, the quartet curated tribute concerts and the Ligeti Day at Aldeburgh Festival, premiering 15 new commissioned works in one event, establishing itself as a benchmark ensemble in European contemporary chamber music.

Tour Highlights

The 2026 tour represents the Ligeti Quartet’s first artistic visit to China. The ensemble will present landmark avant-garde works and global folk music arrangements, while holding masterclasses and academic concerts at major Chinese music institutions, building an important bridge for Sino-European exchange in contemporary string music.

A major highlight takes place at Xinghai Conservatory of Music, where the quartet will read and premiere original string quartet compositions by the conservatory’s teachers and students. The encounter between top international performers and emerging local creative talents fully showcases the vibrant creativity of the young generation, offering a refreshing artistic experience for both professionals and classical music lovers.

The programme features a rich repertoire including Ligeti’s String Quartet No.1 and works by Chen Xiaoyong. It also presents pieces by Chinese composers such as Huang Haihuai and Wu Man, including celebrated arrangements Racing Horses and Gobi Desert at Sunset. Folk music elements from Mali, Jamaica, Sweden, Tuva and Sardinia are integrated throughout the programme, creating a perfect fusion of East and West, tradition and avant-garde.

Tour Schedule

1 June 2026  14:00–17:30  Lang Lang Concert Hall, Xinghai Conservatory of Music  Masterclass
1 June 2026  19:30  Lang Lang Concert Hall, Xinghai Conservatory of Music  Academic Exchange Concert

2 June 2026  14:00–17:30  Multi-function Hall, Xinghai Conservatory of Music  Masterclass & Sight-Reading Workshop
2 June 2026  19:30  Lang Lang Concert Hall, Xinghai Conservatory of Music  Academic Exchange Concert

3 June 2026  19:30  Concert Hall, South China Normal University  Academic Exchange Concert

5 June 2026  13:30–17:30  Affiliated High School of Shanghai Conservatory of Music  Masterclass & Artistic Exchange

6 June 2026  10:00  Shanghai Oriental Art Center  Public Community Concert