VC Artist Aizuri Quartet Joins Pink Noise Agency for Worldwide Management

Comprised of violinists Emma Frucht and Miho Saegusa, violist Ayana Kozasa, and cellist Karen Ouzounian, the Aizuri Quartet was last month given the Cleveland Quartet Award.

The 2021/22 season sees the Aizuri Quartet's major concerto debut with Milwaukee Symphony — performing John Adams's Absolute Jest with Music Director Ken-David Masur. They will also have their debut at New York's 92nd Street Y, perform a collaborative program with Anthony McGill and DeMarre McGill at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and premiere new quartets at the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C.

The Quartet’s debut album, "Blueprinting," featuring new works written for the Aizuri Quartet by five American composers, was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY Award and named one of NPR Music’s Best Classical Albums of 2018.

As the Grand Prize winner at the 2018 M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition, they have also received top prizes at the 2017 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Japan and the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition in London.

They previously served as Quartet-in-Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music, New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and the Ravinia Festival's Steans Music Institute.

At Pink Noise Agency, the Aizuri Quartet will join flutist and MacArthur Fellow Claire Chase, composer, flutist, and producer Allison Loggins-Hull, six piano ensemble Grand Band, and visionary pianist and producer Min Kwon.

Prior to joining Pink Noise Agency, they were managed by Concert Artists Guild.

"I formed Pink Noise Agency in order to advocate for musicians of the highest caliber who experiment in classical music," Gregory Brown said. "When I first heard the Aizuri in 2019 I was blown away by the depth of their playing, the innovative and engaging program, and the natural charisma of their playing as well as speaking from the stage. Their album Blueprinting remains one of my personal favorite recordings, classical or otherwise."

"The quartet’s success in inviting new audiences into concert halls speaks volumes to me," he added. 'I could not be more excited to begin work with them and I am extremely grateful to Concert Artist Guild for their laying the groundwork with the Aizuri Quartet for what will undoubtedly be a long, fruitful career."

“We truly couldn’t be more excited about joining forces with Greg Brown and Pink Noise Agency,” the quartet said. “We deeply admire Greg’s insightful and layered knowledge of our wider musical community, and his incredible energy and passion for our programming. We’re so grateful to have found such a unique, thoughtful and talented partner, and can’t wait to collaborate and realize our artistic dreams together!"