Leonkoro Quartet
German string quartet. [Revision - see talkpage]
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The Leonkoro Quartet is a string quartet, formed in 2019 and based in Berlin, Germany.[1]
In April 2022, the quartet won first prize[2][3] and no less than 9 of the special prizes at the prestigious Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition[4] in London, despite being the youngest quartet competing, with an average age of just 24.[1] They followed this in May by winning the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition,[5] also winning the Audience Prize. They also won a number of competition prizes prior to these successes. In November 2022, they received the MERITO Award based on quality of public performances over the year.[6][7]
The ensemble takes its name from the Esperanto words for 'lion' and 'heart'. They were part of the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme for 2022-4.[8] Unusually, they performed standing up, apart from the cellist, until their change of personnel in 2025.
Their first recording, of String Quartets by Ravel and Schumann (No. 3 in A major, Op. 41 No. 3), was released in 2023.[9]
On 30 January 2026, they released Out of Vienna, which examines "early-20th-century Viennese modernism"; it was named an editor's choice by Gramophone Magazine.[10][11]
Members
The members are:[7]
- Jonathan Schwarz, first violin
- Emiri Kakiuchi, second violin
- Mayu Konoe, viola
- Lukas Schwarz, violoncello.
Until 2025 Amelie Wallner was the second violinist.
