The Balourdet Quartet, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is currently in residence at the
New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program. The quartet received
the Grand Prize at the 2021 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, as well as
prizes in international competitions including the Banff, Paolo Borciani, and Carl Nielsen
competitions. They were also awarded the Gold Medal at the 2020 Fischoff National
Chamber Music Competition and the 2021 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition.
Highlights of the Balourdet’s 2022-23 season include appearances at Chamber Music
Detroit, the Grand Piano Series in Naples, FL, NEC’s Jordan Hall, Merkin Hall, and Wigmore
Hall. Summer 2022 also saw the Balourdet performing at festivals including at Bravo!
Vail, Music Mountain, and Strings Music Festival. Additionally this season, the quartet
is thrilled to premiere a new commissioned work by celebrated composer Karim Al-
Zand, made possible through Chamber Music America’s Classical Commissioning
Grant.
The Balourdet has performed at festivals and series including Amelia Island Chamber
Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society Summerfest, the Dame
Myra Hess Concerts, Montgomery Chamber Music, Santa Fe ProMusica, and the
Schneider Concert Series. Committed to sharing their musical values with the next generation,
the quartet has given masterclasses and coachings at New England Conservatory
Preparatory Department, Fischoff Chamber Music Academy, Upper Valley Chamber
Music, Wright State University, as well as a residency teaching and performing at
the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival.
The Balourdet Quartet was formed in 2018 at Rice University in Houston, Texas under the
tutelage of James Dunham, Norman Fischer, and Cho-Liang Lin. It currently works primarily
with Paul Katz at the New England Conservatory, as well as Miriam Fried and
members of the Cleveland and Borromeo Quartets. The quartet takes its name from
Antoine Balourdet, chef extraordinaire at the Hotel St. Bernard and beloved member of
the Taos School of Music community.