Quatuor Ébène

Biography

Founded in 1999, Quatuor Ébène has become one of the most versatile and adventurous string quartets of its generation. Pierre Colombet and Gabriel Le Magadure on violin, Marie Chilemme on viola and Yuya Okamoto on cello combine a deep grounding in the great chamber music tradition with a restless curiosity that has carried the ensemble far beyond the standard repertoire. The quartet has spent more than two decades playing on the world's leading stages.

"French musicians are masters of sound"

Der Tagesspiegel Berlin, May 2026

"As clear as glass, yest profundly human"

"The rare ability to make perfection sounds spontaneous"

"Sound as light, control as emotion"

Bachtrack, Nov 2025

"This acute sense of emotional timing distinguishes the Ebènes from many of their contemporary rivals"

Gramophone, 2019

"The group was on lustrous form, giving us quartet playing of ther highest order"

The Times, March 2025

"masterful, magnificent and deeply moving"

Süddeutsche Zeitung, May 2026

"One could say they are taking Beethoven's quartets to a new level"

"For the four players to perfom in sync in such a natural and organic way is really awe inspiring"

Bachtrack, June 2026

“The art of going beyond beautiful sound to draw the listener into a magnetic and passionate narrative”

Bachtrack, July 2026

“A magnificent and captivating journey through Beethoven's world”

Le Monde, 2019

“Is there a string quartet that performs Beethoven's quartets better (...) than the Quatuor Ebène ?”

Klassiek Centraal, July 2025

"White-hot interpretative intensity and fantasy."

The Strad, 2020

Schedule

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Teaching

Passing on what we have learned is just as much a part of our life as a quartet as what we share on stage. Through our academy in Munich and our master classes around the world, we closely mentor the young ensembles who will shape the future of chamber music.