"A string quartet is profoundly human and dramatic music. In the way four players create a single sound while preserving their individual colors, it has a charm similar to the quartet singing on 'Phantom Singer.'"
That is how the Esmé Quartet, marking its 10th anniversary this year, recently described the appeal of the string quartet in an email interview with Seoul Economic Daily. The Esmé Quartet is a rare long-running chamber ensemble in Korea and draws additional attention as a team centered on female members. The musicians, all born in the 1990s, came together a decade ago during their studies in Europe, united by their love of chamber music. Just two years after forming, in 2018, they became the first Korean and the first female quartet to win the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition in London — the world's most prestigious — also taking home four special prizes and announcing their arrival on the international stage. Bae Won-hee (first violin), Ha Yu-na (second violin), and Heo Ye-eun (cello) are founding members, with Dimitri Murrath (viola) joining three years ago.
The string quartet is structurally intricate and profound music in which four instruments engage in continuous dialogue. That difficulty can also feel daunting to many listeners. "The four players sometimes burst out like soloists, and at other moments blend so completely that they breathe as one," Bae said. "It resembles 'Phantom Singer' in that great synergy and emotion arise when each maintains their own personality and color while creating sound together." Cellist Heo added, "All the instruments constantly exchange dialogue, creating tension and release. Rather than trying to listen analytically, audiences can simply feel the emotions and atmosphere with ease."
The members credited a "hunger spirit" as the secret to keeping the team together and active for a decade. "All of us shared a hunger spirit that didn't chase a flashy lifestyle or wealth," Bae said. "Just being able to enjoy the music, trust each other, and stand on stage together made us happy, and that became our driving force."
The Esmé Quartet identifies strong energy and emotional immersion as its strengths. "Within the European chamber music tradition, we try to convey a Korean emotional sensibility, energy, and sincerity," Bae said. "Even when performing classical works, we hope our team's identity lies in interpreting them with a vivid and contemporary sensibility."
The quartet will hold its 10th anniversary concerts at the Seoul Arts Center on Dec. 2 and at the Chuncheon Culture and Arts Center on Dec. 9. To narrow the distance with the general public, the program features works that allow listeners to experience the appeal of the string quartet most directly. The performances will include Dvořák's "American," Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8, and Schubert's "Death and the Maiden." "These are works that touch the most instinctive human emotions — Shostakovich's despair and resistance, Dvořák's freedom and warmth, and Schubert's harrowing beauty about life and death," Bae said. "We hope the audience naturally immerses themselves and follows the emotions the music leads them to."
The group has also devoted considerable effort to introducing new works by Korean female composers. They have included pieces such as Chin Eun-sook's "Parameta String" and "Old Sound" by composer and haegeum player Yeo Su-yeon on their albums. Their third album, set for release in September, will also feature "A River Flowing at the End of the Heart," a new work by composer and pianist Seo Ju-ri. "Alongside deeply exploring classical repertoire, we want to create more projects connected to this era — contemporary works and music by Korean composers," Ha said.
If the past 10 years were "a time of proving our existence," their ambition going forward is to move toward deeper and freer music. "Our goal is to become a senior quartet that stands on stage together for a long time and ages beautifully."
