Ariel Quartet Featured in The Strad

The Ariel Quartet, NEC’s Professional String Quartet from 2008 to 2010 and whose members include NEC alumni, has released the third and final volume of its complete Beethoven string quartet recording cycle on October 2, 2026. The monumental project encompasses all 16 of Beethoven’s string quartets, culminating in the composer’s late quartets, often regarded as some of his most extraordinary works. The ensemble includes violinists Alexandra Kazovsky ’08, ’10 MM and Gershon Gerchikov ’09, and cellist Amit Even-Tov ’09. Violist Jan Grüning also studied at NEC, while Sergey Tarashchansky ’08, ’10 MM previously served as the quartet’s violist during its time at NEC.

In an interview with The Strad, the quartet reflected on its longstanding relationship with Beethoven’s music and the artistic growth fostered by years of performing and recording the cycle. The musicians emphasized that the experience deepened their appreciation for Beethoven’s humanity and reinforced the importance of listening, collaboration, and preserving individual artistic voices within a unified ensemble: "It represents four people learning how to listen, challenge one another, and ultimately speak together while still remaining individuals". A complete box set of the recordings is planned for release in 2027, marking the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death.