About
Louisa Staples, Violin
Johannes Brzoska, Violin
Miguel Erlich, Viola
Umut Sağlam, Violoncello
The Viatores Quartet is a young string quartet based in Berlin, founded in 2023. In 2024, the ensemble was awarded First Prize and a Special Prize at the Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Competition. This success was followed by Second Prize at the Irene Steels-Wilsing String Quartet Competition in Heidelberg in January 2025, and two Special Prizes at the prestigious Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition in London in April 2025. Most recently, they were awarded the DC Anderson Foundation Family Prize as well the Career Development Prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC).
In 2024, they were selected as SWR “New Talent,” a three-year development program by Southwestern Radio in Germany. The following year, they were awarded a residency at ProQuartet – Centre Européen de Musique de Chambre in Paris, where they will further their artistic growth through intensive coaching and concert engagements during the 2025–2027 seasons.
Recent performances include appearances at the Schwetzinger SWR Festspiele, Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker, Villa Musica, AIMA Festival in Turkey, St. Lukes Music Society London and SWR Television Tower Stuttgart. They released their first CD-Album in February 2026 which is available for streaming on all major streaming platforms.
The Viatores Quartet was founded in early 2023 at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin. The ensemble is currently studying with Prof. Oliver Wille at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, and studied with Prof. Tabea Zimmermann at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt between 2023 and 2025. The quartet has also received important artistic guidance from distinguished musicians including Christian Tetzlaff, Nora Chastain, Heime Müller, Mark Steinberg and Areta Zhulla.
The quartet takes its name from the Latin term "Viatores", which means travelers. As the name suggests, the quartet proudly represents four different origins and cultures, united by a common goal.