Karolina Beinarytė-Palekauskienė (1st violin)
Aistė Mikutytė (2nd violin)
Eglė Lapinskė (viola)
Saulius Bartulis (cello)

The Kaunas String Quartet is one of the most prominent classical music ensembles in Lithuania, founded in Kaunas, the second largest town in Lithuania. The Kaunas City Council has been supporting the quartet since 1988. During more than 35 years of its existence the quartet has performed more than 2200 concerts at various venues, festivals in Lithuania, as well as other countries (Finland, Norway, Poland, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Argentina, Chile, Denmark, Ukraine), and represents the high level of Lithuanian chamber music making.

In 35 years the quartet has built up a repertoire of over 350 works. It regularly performs classical works, pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as contemporary music. The Kaunas String Quartet has performed a large number of new works by Lithuanian and, in particular, Kaunas composers, with whom the quartet has collaborated over many years. For its role in promoting contemporary music the Kaunas String Quartet was awarded “Tikra muzika” (“The Real Music”) prize of the year (2008), and was honoured with the title of “The Most Memorable Kaunas Creative Collective” (2009). In 2012, for its contribution to Lithuanian culture and art the Kaunas String Quartet was awarded the Prize of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Kaunas String Quartet is regularly asked to record original music for films and theatrical productions. It has recorded many works for the Lithuanian National Radio and released 14 CDs.

www.kaunokvartetas.lt