About

A quartet of curious musicians whose home base is Canada’s National Arts Centre, Ironwood String Quartet has sprung into a position as one of Canada’s premiere chamber music ensembles since their debut in 2014. Their programming reflects a belief in the power of great music to unite. Hailing from across the nation, their musical interests ranging from Beethoven and Ravel to Philip Glass, Ukrainian and American folk music, Tango and Radiohead. Ironwood String Quartet will quench your musical thirst amid the warm summer air!

They first performed together in the inaugural NAC’s WolfGANG Sessions at Ottawa’s Mercury Lounge (a series devoted to contemporary chamber music) and immediately felt the strength of their musical connection and their common passion for the tremendous and extensive repertoire for string quartet. Ironwood has achieved critical acclaim for their “take no prisoners” approach to performances and has appeared in Ottawa at the NAC’s Music for a Sunday Afternoon series, at the Steinway Gallery and at the Ritornello Chamber Music Festival in Saskatoon, collaborating with pianists Jon Kimura Parker and Inon Barnatan.

This season has included a residency at Avaloch Music Farm Institute, and performances of three Beethoven String Quartets at the NAC’s Beethoven Festival. Upcoming quartet concerts include performances in Europe, as well as in Canada at festivals on Prince Edward Island, in Winnipeg (GroundSwell), and in Quebec (Pontiac Enchanté). Beginning July 2019, the quartet are directors of the Classical Unbound Festival in Prince Edward County.