Quattuor Cortina

Joachim Lim piano
Shuwei Zuo violin
Sheng Zhang viola
Ian Zhao Hongze cello

Brahms Piano Quartet No.2

Joachim Lim

Joachim is currently pursuing an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with a full scholarship with Pascal Nemirovski and John Thwaites. Participating regularly in competitions, his recent successes include receiving the 1st prize in the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Piano Prize; the Beryl Chempin Beethoven Prize; the Delius Society Prize and the Leamington Music Prize.

Shuwei Zuo

Shuwei has worked with some of the world's top orchestras and ensembles, including the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Royal Opera House, Britten Sinfonia, Manchester Camerata, Manchester Collective, and is currently working at Sinfonia Smith Square. Shuwei enjoys collaboration and chamber music and has offered numerous solo, trio, and quartet concerts and recordings in York, Leeds, Haslemere, London, and Manchester.

Sheng Zhang

Sheng Zhang is a Chinese violist known for his attention to detail, expressive touch and appreciation for uniqueness. Tabea Zimmerman once commended, "He is an outstanding violist with full emotional expression and dedicated techniques in music". He received his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the Royal Academy of Music. During his time at the Academy, he also received an Advanced Teaching Qualification Certificate (LRAM) from the Principal, Jonathan Attwood. He is currently pursuing an Advanced Performance Diploma at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. During his studies, he has won numerous awards included Gwyn Williams Viola Prize and Leamington Music Prize. At the same time he has had multiple masterclasses with world-class violists, including Tabea Zimmermann, Amihai Grosz, Thomas Riebl, and Lawrence Power. He has collaborated with many internationally renowned conductors, such as John Wilson, Sir Mark Elder, Edward Gardner, and Barbara Hannigan, on numerous symphonic works.

Zhao Hongze

Zhao Hongze began studying the cello at an early age. Through hard work and dedication, he was admitted to the Primary, Secondary, and University Departments of the Central Conservatory of Music with outstanding results. He was later accepted into the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK to pursue a master's degree, studying under Nicholas Trygstad and receiving a postgraduate scholarship. He has also studied under Professor Yu Mingqing, President of the China Cello Association and Deputy Director of the Orchestral Department at the Central Conservatory of Music, as well as cellist Yu Jia.

Running time approx. 50 minutes.