Balanescu Quartet

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Balanescu Quartet
Years active 1987present
Website www.balanescu.com
Members
Alexander Blnescu
James Shenton
Katie Wilkinson
Nick Holland
Past members
Sian Bell
Jonathan Carney
Clare Connors
Nick Cooper
Caroline Dale
Bill Hawkes
Anthony Hinnigan
Kate Musker
Andrew Parker


The Balanescu Quartet at TFF Rudolstadt 2013.
The Balanescu Quartet is an avant-garde string quartet founded in 1987 by Alexander
Blnescu that achieved fame through the release of several complex cover versions of songs by
German experimental electronic music band Kraftwerk on their album Possessed.
The quartet are mainly notable for their very distinctive style of music, which encompasses odd
time rhythms, sound dissonances and complex arrangements. They have performed multiple
works with a variety of other artists, including Philip Glass, David Byrne, Gavin Bryars, Michael
Nyman, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Kevin Volans, Hector Zazou, Un Drame Musical Instantan,
Spiritualized, Yellow Magic Orchestra and the Pet Shop Boys. They performed University
Challenge's title music on BBC2 in the UK.
Their early albums were on Mute Records and Argo Records (UK).
The Quartet was initially formed by Alexander Blnescu (violin), Clare Connors (second
violin), Bill Hawkes (viola), and Caroline Dale (cello).
[1]
It currently consists of Alexander
Blnescu (violin), James Shenton (violin), Katie Wilkinson (viola) and Nick Holland (cello).
[2]

Recordings
Group:
Possessed (1992)
Luminitza (1994)
Angels & Insects (1995) (soundtrack)
East Meets East (1997)
Maria T (2005)
This Is The Balanescu Quartet (2011)
Featured:
Michael Nyman - String Quartets 1-3 - featuring the Balanescu Quartet (1991)
Balanescu Quartet Play Byrne/Moran/Lurie/Torke - featuring David Byrne, Robert
Moran, John Lurie and Michael Torke (1992)
Kevin Volans - String Quartets Nos. 2 & 3 - performed by the Balanescu Quartet (1994)
Gavin Bryars - The Last Days - featuring the Balanescu Quartet (1995)
Spiritualized - Pure Phase (1995)
Rabih Abou-Khalil - Arabian Waltz - featuring the Balanescu String Quartet (2002)
Optimo - How To Kill The DJ (Part 2) - featuring music by the Balanescu Quartet (2004)
Michael Torke - Six - featuring the Balanescu Quartet (2005)
Ada Milea & Alexander Balanescu - The Island - featuring the Balanescu Quartet (2011)
Teho Teardo - Diaz - featuring the Balanescu Quartet (2012) (soundtrack)