Once again toward the end of the season, the string quartet takes center stage at the Pierre Boulez Saal. In the space of 11 days, three top-tier international ensembles bring to life three eras of the quartet repertoire, creating inspiring encounters in the process.

A radically contemporary approach shapes the three programs of the JACK Quartet, an ensemble that for years has been breathing new life into the centuries-old genre by performing countless world premieres and commissioning new compositions. The group will explore the full range of contemporary string quartet writing—both in the traditional analogue setup and with an added electronic dimension—in works by Helmut Lachenmann, Catherine Lamb, Sabrina Schroeder and many others.