“Modern,” “dramatic,” “superb,” “wickedly attentive,” “with a hint of rock 'n roll energy” are just a few ways critics describe the musical phenomenon that is the St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ). The SLSQ is renowned for the intensity of its performances, its breadth of repertoire, and its commitment to concert experiences that are at once intellectually exciting and emotionally alive.

Established in Toronto in 1989, the SLSQ quickly earned acclaim at top international chamber music competitions and was soon playing hundreds of concerts per year worldwide. It established an ongoing residency at the Spoleto Festival USA and made prize-winning recordings for EMI of music by Schumann, Tchaikovsky, and Golijov, earning two Grammy nominations and a host of other prizes before being appointed ensemble-in-residence at Stanford University.

At Stanford, the SLSQ is an integral part of the rich fabric of life on campus. It directs the Music Department's chamber music program and frequently collaborates with other university departments, including the Schools of Law, Medicine, Business, and Education. The Quartet performs regularly at Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall, hosts an annual Chamber Music Seminar attracting musicians from all over the world, and runs the Emerging String Quartet Program through which they mentor the next generation of young chamber musicians.

The Quartet is especially dedicated to the music of Haydn, recording his groundbreaking set of six Op. 20 quartets for a free, universal release online as well as for purchase on compact disc and high-quality vinyl. According to The New Yorker, "...no other North American quartet plays the music of Haydn with more intelligence, expressivity, and force…” Fiercely committed to collaborations with living composers, the SLSQ's fruitful partnership with John Adams, Osvaldo Golijov, Jonathan Berger, and many others has yielded some of the finest additions to contemporary quartet literature.

Co-founders Geoff Nuttall (violin) and Lesley Robertson (viola) met as students while studying music in their native Canada. Christopher Costanza (cello) joined the ensemble in 2003, and Owen Dalby (violin) joined in 2015.

https://www.slsq.com/