The ensemble will return with a new line-up in 2027
The Simply Quartet has announced the departure of its first violin, South Korean violinist Sueye Park. She joined the ensemble in January this year, assuming the role from Chinese violinist Danfeng Shen.
The remaining members are Austrian violinist Antonia Rankersberger, Chinese violist Xiang Lyu and Norwegian cellist Ivan Valentin Hollup Roald. Following Park’s departure, they have announced that the quartet will be taking a break until 2027, at which point it will return with a new line-up.
The Simply Quartet was established in 2008 at the Shanghai Conservatory and its members later studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. The ensemble has been mentored by artists including Jensen Horn-Sin Lam, Johannes Meissl, Hatto Beyerle, Patrick Jüdt, Günter Pichler and Gerhard Schulz.
Among its accolades, it has won the first prize at competitions including the Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition, the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, the Franz Schubert and Modern Music International Competition and the International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition. It was also selected as part of the 2021–22 season of the ECHO Rising Stars series.
The Simply Quartet shared the news in a post on social media:
‘After many intense and eventful years, the time has come for us to bring our artistic work in its current form to an end. Personal decisions within the ensemble have led us to take this step.
‘Our first violinist, Sueye, has decided to continue her artistic journey outside the ensemble. We are saying goodbye to her and would like to sincerely thank her for the time we have shared and for the many wonderful musical experiences.
‘At the same time, we are looking ahead: following a planned break, we hope to return to the stage during 2027 in a new line-up and with fresh inspiration. We will announce in due course what form this will take.
‘We would like to thank you all for the many musical moments we have shared and look forward to seeing you again.’
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