The first disc in the Emperor Quartet’s Britten series (BIS SACD-1540) was released in August 2010. Disc of the week for the Independent, the reviews have been very favourable. The disc includes the Second Quartet, the Three Divertimenti, String Quartet in D and the world premier recording of the Miniature Suite. The second disc in the series is already recorded and the third and final disc will be recorded in spring 2011. The project should present the most complete survey of Britten’s chamber music for strings.

”The Emperor Quartet play all three with the right mix of witty insouciance and technical accomplishment, but the group reveals its true colours in the Second Quartet.” Andrew Clements, The Guardian

Earlier this year the Quartet met up with Radiohead musician Jonny Greenwood to play for his soundtrack to the film “Norwegian Wood”, a follow on from previous projects “Bodysong” and the award winning Daniel Day Lewis film “There Will Be Blood”

The Quartet will be returning to Cardiff this autumn and again in the new year. A key part of this innovative partnership is the focus on outreach work - now such an important part of the modern working musicians' life.

The Quartet offer workshop recitals with an emphasis on participation as well as listening and also demonstrations in composition technique via a unique interactive decontruction of short pieces and extracts from the mainstream repertoire. These are presented to the students in seminars and in live events

On their last visit the Quartet spent three days coaching chamber groups, many of whom were preparing for the Cavatina Chamber Music Prize, and also offered the opportunity for students to observe the Quartet in action at Schools in the Methyr Tydfil area.