Javus Quartet Receives Music Prize from Germany's Jürgen Ponto Foundation

The ensemble will receive €60,000 and multiple performance opportunities

Awarded every two years, the Jürgen Ponto Foundation Prize for the Promotion of Young Artists is given to string quartets from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland who are not older than 35 and have already won an international competition.

The seventh prize has been given to the Javus Quartet, who will receive 60,000 Euros and concert performances at the Beethovenfest Bonn, the Heidelberg String Quartet Festiva, and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival.

The jury included Annett Baumeister, Frank Siebert, Dr. Michael Gassmann, Prof. Gregor Sigl, and Ralf Suermann. Since 2012, previous winners have included the Schumann Quartet, the Aris Quartet, the Vision String Quartet, the Goldmund Quartet, and the Leonkoro Quartet.

The translated jury's statement reads, "We have enjoyed the Javus Quartet intensively over the past few years. Now we think the moment has come to demonstrate the impressive skills of the ensemble as well as the courage with which it goes about its very artistic development. The four musicians have had an extraordinary career in recent years and has now reached an artistic level that is ready for the podium.

"With its prize, the Jürgen Ponto Foundation would like to contribute to improving the reputation this ensemble, which will soon become one of the leading string quartets of its generation."

From Salzburg, Austria, the Javus Quartet consists of violinists Marie-Therese Schwöllinger, Alexandra Moser, violist Marvin Stark, and cellist Oscar Hagen. Founded in 2016, they have been significantly influenced in their development by Lukas Hagen, the first violinist of the Hagen Quartet.

Currently, the ensemble is studying with Johannes Meissl at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and receiving inspiration through collaboration with leading chamber music professors worldwide. Notably, they have worked with Eberhard Feltz, Hatto Beyerle, Gerhard Schulz, Valentin Erben, Rainer Schmidt, and Thomas Adès. They have performed at prestigious venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, Konzerthaus Wien, Konzerthaus Blaibach, Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg — as well as music festivals like the "Mattseer Diabelli Sommer" and the "Mozartwoche Salzburg". Their chamber music partners include Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartet, Jean and Agnes Sulem, Matthias Schorn, and Pauline Sachse.