Central European String Quartet

The Central European String Quartet’s musicians Miranda Liu, Máté Soós, Győző Máté and Judit Szabó – each an accomplished virtuoso - come together as a string quartet with undeniable chemistry. Combined, they have performed with countless orchestras in Hungary and abroad, and in recital at the most important concert halls in the world. The CESQ’s work is marked by innovative projects and exciting programs. For example, in 2018, it announced its international composition competition, which attracted 75 applications from 27 different countries at its first edition. The quartet is committed to performing today's music and working with living composers. Numerous composers from around the globe apply for the opportunity to have their works premiered and performed by the venerable CESQ.

The quartet has performed at festivals such as the Valley of Arts Festival, The Klassz a pArton Festival, and was ensemble-in-residence of the New Millennium International Chamber Music Festival and at concert venues such as the Liszt Academy of Music, the Palace of Arts Budapest, The Marble Hall of the Hungarian Radio, The Hungarian National Museum's Ceremonial Hall, the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery, Óbudai Társaskör, and the Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg. The quartet has collaborated with esteemed musicians such as: László Borbély (piano), Bartosz Koziak (cello), Csaba Klenyán (clarinet), and Klára Bábel (harp).

Concert violinist Miranda Liu is concertmaster of the Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra and laureate of numerous national and international competitions. She has performed in hundreds of concerts throughout Europe, Asia, and the USA, as a soloist and chamber musician. She received her education at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, the Liszt Academy of Music Budapest, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Violinist Máté Soós recently won first prizes at the Wieniawski Violin Competition in Győr and at the International Contemporary Music Competition in Balassagyarmat. Recipient of the coveted Annie Fischer Award, he is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at the Liszt Academy of Music.

Győző Máté studied at the Ciprian Porumbescu Music Academy in Bucharest under Valeriu Pitulac and Stefan Gheorghiu and attended master classes of Ruggiero Ricci. Since 1993, he has been the solo violist of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Budapest. His first solo recording was edited in 2007 with the pianist Balázs Szokolay.

Cellist of the CESQ, Dr. Judit Szabó has concertized extensively, appearing in the most important concert halls and was the professor of several international master classes. She has recorded for such labels as Decca, ECM, Apex, and Stradivarius, among others, she was a member of the worldrenowned Keller Quartet between 1998 and 2018 and is a faculty member of the chamber music department at the Liszt Academy of Music.