Quartetto Lyskamm - About

If there is one key quality a young quartet needs in order to grow and develop, it is trust and confidence in the ability to discover its identity. With the BBT family, we learnt that Trust is not just a word, but a real tangible support on so many levels. We received this award without needing to apply or convince anyone of our total commitment to the project and since then the trust in our work has helped us make real what was just a dream before.

Chamber music is a fundamental aspect of BBT’s approach to supporting young ensembles who face particular  challenges, particularly in Italy.  BBT made this special award to the Italian Quartetto Lyskamm in memory of their country’s revered conductor Claudio Abbado, who was not only a dear friend to Franco Buitoni, but also a keen and committed supporter of chamber music in his homeland; early in his career Abbado turned down a prestigious conducting position in the US in favour of teaching chamber music for three years in Parma (1958-61), later stating that this period profoundly influenced his own philosophy of music making.

BBT facilitated a London showcase concert for the Lyksamm Quartet and funded the development of a new website, featuring new audio material of quartets by Beethoven, Schubert and Webern. The Lyskamm players continue to champion the string quartet in Italy, not just on the concert platform but with an annual string quartet masterclass as part of the Casa della Musica San Michele Forestry Music Festival programme.

Quartetto Lyskamm was supported with a BBT Special Chamber Music Prize between 2016 and 2019.

For a current biography please visit quartettolyskamm.it

Photographs by Christian Ruvolo