SEILER STRING QUARTET

The Seiler String Quartet was formed while the four sisters were very young. Both parents of the sisters - German Ernst Seiler and Japanese Mie Seiler (both pianists) - met at the Julliard School and were drawn to Salzburg after beginning the children’s upbringing in Japan. The sisters, each two years apart, began playing their instruments at 3 years old and coincidently (or unconsciously?) ended up with the composition of a string quartet amongst them. The young girls were all enrolled in music lessons and the daily practice schedule of her four daughters was a going concern for their mother, herself a Professor at the Mozarteum. The school system in Austria included a rigorous workload, and combining that with their growing involvement in music was always a delicate balancing act for the family. Very soon, each daughter was very successful at international music competitions, winning prizes and being in the lime light as both soloists as well as chamber musicians, performing on radio and television - often with their mother at the piano. Touring to Japan and throughout Europe, they would often have to load the car not only with all their instruments and themselves, but also the dog! The four young sisters became a much loved and unique string quartet during their travels. While each has enjoyed a successful career individually over the years, the Seiler String Quartet has always returned to their music making as a quartet.

Yuri Seiler is principal cellist with the North German Radio Orchestra and resides in Hamburg with husband Jurgen and their two children - Darina and Kim. Naomi Seiler is principal viola of the Hamburg Opera and also lives in Hamburg with her daughter Nadine. She also performs with Via Salzburg. Midori Seiler is one of the leading baroque violinists in Europe, performing as a soloist and as part of the highly acclaimed group Akademie fuer Alte Musik Berlin. She travels all over the world and when schedule permits, resides in Berlin. Mayumi Seiler is busy as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, Japan and North America, teaches at University of Toroto and Glenn Gould School, and lives with her two greatest accomplishments, Hana and Seiji.