Aviv Quartet – Major Prizes• Shared 1st Prize and received the prestigious Critics Prize at the

International Quartets Competition in Bordeaux - 2003• The 1st Prizes in all categories at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition (1999), including: Grand Prix (Daimler Chrysler prize) Quartets - 1st Prize

• The 1st Prize, the "Amadeus Quartet Prize", in the Charles Hennen competition in Heerlen, Netherlands (1999).

• Special Interpretation Prize for Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" and 2nd prize in the "International Competition Franz Schubert” Graz, Austria" (2003)

• The 2nd Prize at the International String Quartet Competition at the Prague Spring Festival (1998)

• Special Prize from the Ministry of Culture of Germany (1999)• Israel National Lottery Performing Arts Award for Special Achievements (2002)

Reviews• “… Aviv performed concert of rare quality… Let’s hope the quartet will visit our concert halls and maybe

one day record their complete quartets of Shostakovich…”Bertrand Bolognesi, “ANACLASE” (Shostakovich cycle in Verbier-2007)

• “The Aviv String Quartet brought an incredible precision for detail and a deeply moving interpretation both to death and to the young, fragile maiden…”

Nathalie Vinzent, Drehpunktkultur (Concert in Mozarteum Salzburg, 19/06/2007)• “…I shall content myself with saying that on this occasion I found virtually nothing to fault in the Aviv’s

playing this challenging program”Tully Porter, STRAD Magazine, January 2007 (Concert in the Wigmore Hall, 19/10/06)

• “…the Avivs maintaining their peak form, leaving little for the critic to say. One admired the collective tone, and the individual contributions of each and every player, neither reticent nor seeking soloistic domination within the ensemble…”

P. G. Woolf, Musical Pointers 20/10/2006

• What colours those four develop from a score which contains only the absolutely necessary, which refuses itself to any opulence. How precise (and well-balanced) they deploy these colours in order to emotionalise the pure, most articulately depicted structure. With what secure sense of style do they seek the drama behind the notes. In what a fantastic manner do they let the musical time flow through all of them in their collective. And how perfectly do they intonate…”

Alfred Zimmelin, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Aviv‘s Concert in Zurich Tonhalle, July 2006)

• “In one listening the players practically became Shostakovich specialists…”Edward Bhesania, STRAD Magazine, April 2006 (Shostakovich Centenary in London)

• "... the Aviv's tightly honed ensemble made itself felt in its no-fail interaction and sense of continuity..."Cecilia Porter, The Washington Post, 10/02/2005

• “On the strength of their performance of the Ninth Quartet on Saturday, they should be snapped up by any company eager to add a new Shostakovich cycle to the catalogue…”

Hillary Finch, London Times 05/01/2004

• “Rich, warm and distinctive in sound, their playing combining technical exactitude with instinctive emotional intensity…”

Tim Ashley, “The Guardian” 07/01/2004

Major Performances (Europe)• Paris – “Auditorium de Louvre”, “Theatre du Chatelet”, “Theatre de la Ville”, Saint

Chapelle (2000-2006)• London – “Wigmore Hall”, Royal Festival Hall (2002-2006)• Germany - “Beethoven House”, Bonn (2001), “Köln Philharmonic” (2001)• Austria - Schlosskonzerte (2004), Mozarteum (2007), “Wien Konzerthaus” (2001)• Stockholm – “Nybrokajen 11”, “Konserthus” (2002-2006)• Zurich Tonhalle (2006)• La Folle Journee – Nantes, Lisbon, Bilbao (2004-2005)• Verbier International Festival (2007 – Complete cycle of Shostakovich quartets)• German Festivals – Oberdorf (2001), Schwetzinger (2006) and others• French Festivals - Reims, Luberon, Colmar, Montpellier, Aix en Province, Park Floral,

St. Riquer, Perigord Noir and others (2003-2006)• Austrian Festivals - Lockenhaus (2005), Deutschlandsberg (2006)• Swedish Festivals - Gotland (2000-2006), Linkoping (2006)• Italian Festivals - Bologna, Arezzo, Imola (2006), Capri, Como (2007)• Swiss Festivals – Zurich, Davos (2007)• Festival de Flanders, Limburg (2007)• Lisbon – BEMEL Festival (2007)• Dublin Castle (2002)• Dubrovnik International Festival (2000, 2004)• Riga September Festival (Latvia, 2006)• Oistrakh International Festival (Estonia, 2006)

Major Performances (World)• Washington – “Library of Congress”, “Kennedy Center” (2002-2005), DC Phillips

Collection (2007)• New York – Carnegie Hall (2000, 2003), Lincoln Center (2000) “Jupiter” Chamber Music

Concerts (2005), Barge Music Series (2006), New School (2007)• Cincinnati Music Academy (2005)• New Jersey JCC (2007)• Cape Town, South Africa – “Baxter Concert Hall” (2003, 2005)• Beijing, China – “Beijing Opera” (2001)• Toronto, Canada – “St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts ” (2005), Walter Hall (2007), Mozart

Society (2007)• Sydney, Australia – “Opera House” (1999)• Sao Paolo, Brazil – “Espaco Cultural” (2004)• Brasilia – Teatro Nacional (2004)• Jerusalem – “Henry Crown Hall” (1998-2006), Jerusalem Music Center, Weiss

Auditorium (1998-2007)• Israel Festival (2000-2005), Jerusalem Festival (2000-2001), Eilat Festival (2006), Upper

Galilee Festival (1998-2005), Tel Aviv Biennale for Modern Music (2006)• Tel Aviv Conservatory, Buchman- Mehta Academy of Music, Tel Aviv Museum (1998-

2007)• Concert Tours to: USA, Canada, China, Brazil, South Africa, France, Ireland, Latvia, Israel

Major Recordings

The Aviv Quartet's playing is filled with excitement and energy and also exhibits nimbleness as well as a stunning command of their instruments

Michael Carter “Fanfare”, March/April 2004 (Hoffmeister CD)

The Aviv Quartet led by Sergey Ostrovsky is the most exciting ensemble that I have heard for some time and they are I feel destined for an esteemed career.

Michael Cookson Classical Music Web, March 2004 (Hoffmeister CD)

A fine CD which reinforces a hope to hear the Aviv Quartet live again very soon. Musical Pointers, November 2004 (Shostakovich no. 8&9)

These charming Israeli and Canadian performers reveal many rich layers in the profoundly involving Fourth Quartet. It’s exciting to see a gifted, patently youthful ensemble emerging in chamber music, and many will take pleasure in that alone… But these blithe young performers of the future deserve a hearty welcome.

Roderic Dannett, the STRAD, June 2006 (Shostakovich 2 new CDs)

Members of Aviv• Won 1st Prize in the Violin Spring Competition, Israel (1999), and 5 th

Prize at Lipizer Competition, Italy (1995)• Appears as a soloist with major Israeli and international orchestras,

playing the most famous concertos• Recorded CD for EMI with Mr. Maxim Vengerov and the Verbier

Chamber Orchestra• Was a concertmaster of several Israeli orchestras and the Verbier

Chamber Orchestra• “Nowhere did the "Kreisler" approximate the human voice more

beautifully than in Sergey Ostrovsky's hauntingly tender opening solo in the Andante of Brahms's bucolic String Quartet, Op. 67…”

C. Porter, The Washington Post

• Performs as a soloist with several Israeli and foreign chamber orchestras

• Assistant Violin Professor in the Rotterdam Royal Academy of Music and Dance, Netherlands

• Member of several chamber projects, performing music from the Baroque to the Contemporary

• Was a concertmistress of 2nd Violin group in several Israeli orchestras

• “…Evgenia Epshtein's second violin give a sinewy core to the quartet…”

Hillary Finch, Times, London

Members of Aviv• Was the First Prize winner of the "Theodore Holland" viola

competition at the Royal Academy in London• Performs as the second violist with Ysaye Quartet, recorded

Beethoven’s and Mozart’s quintets• One of the leading members of the "Tel Aviv Soloists" ensemble • Member of several chamber projects, performing music from the

Baroque to the Contemporary• “…viola player Shuli Waterman is predominant, anchoring the

performances in rhythmic and harmonic density and gradually prising the music open from within…”

Tim Ashley, The Guardian

• Received Gold Medal from the Toronto Conservatory• Appeared as soloist with the best orchestras in Canada• Won the Vriendenkrans Contest of the Concertgebouw• Performs recitals on the best stages of Canada and

Netherlands; as a soloist takes part in international festivals• Was a member of the Metro String Quartet (1994-2000)• “… the poised and finely drawn cello playing of Rachel

Mercer…” Hillary Finch, Times, London

Aviv String Quartet