Wolfram Van Mechelen - Violin

Ludovic Bataillie - Violin

Rhea Vanhellemont - Viola

Pieter-Jan De Smet - Cello

Instruments

Wolfram plays on a violin crafted by Émile Laurent (1854-1914), in collaboration with his son Albert Laurent, and loaned by the Strings For Talent fund and the King Baudouin Foundation, in memory of Leon and George Meersman.

Ludovic plays on a violin crafted by André-Augustin Chevry in 1830.

Rhea plays on a viola crafted by Noémie Viaud in 2023, lent by the Strings For Talent fund and the King Baudouin Foundation.

Pieter-Jan plays on the ‘Papillon’ cello crafted by Stijn van Aerschot in 2022.

Praised for their "precise, incisive, yet always warm and velvety sound" by MUSIQ3 Belgium, the Desguin Quartet has rapidly established itself as a dynamic and versatile ensemble since its founding in 2017 at the Antwerp Conservatory. Known for their interdisciplinary approach, they were selected as ‘Artist in Residence’ by SWUK Vlaanderen in 2018 and soon after became members of the Orpheus Institute and Pro Quartet Academy in Paris, where they have been mentored by esteemed members of the Alban Berg, Danel, Doric, Ébène, and Zemlinsky Quartets.

In 2020, the quartet won both the laureate and audience prizes at the Supernova Classics competition and subsequently joined the Italian 'Le Dimore Del Quartetto' network. The Desguin Quartet is a frequent guest at prestigious events such as Klarafestival, Festival Odegand, Festival van Vlaanderen, Leuven Jazz, Arte Amanti Chamber Music Festival, Musik Collagen Darmstadt, Eupen Musikmarathon, and Jazz Middelheim.

They have collaborated with renowned artists, including baritone Werner Van Mechelen, cellist Benjamin Glorieux, the Czech Zemlinsky Quartet, pianist Florestan Bataillie, saxophonist Kurt Bertels, and actors Stefaan Degand, Ivan Pecnik, and Vic De Wachter. They also toured with Fred Hersch, a 15-time Grammy-nominated American jazz legend.

The quartet's debut album, featuring Belgian works by Peter Benoit, Joseph Ryelandt, and Mathias Coppens, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim, as was their collaboration on the album 'Mélodies de Verlaine' with Florestan Bataillie and Werner Van Mechelen. Their most recent CD, 'Fingerprints#4,' commissioned by Radio Klara and released in March 2022, highlights 15 new Flemish compositions for string quartet. This dedication to Belgian repertoire earned them a place at the Belgian Music Days in Eupen 2022 and the prestigious ‘Fuga Trofee’ awarded by the Union of Belgian Composers.

As they celebrate their 5th anniversary in 2023, the Desguin Quartet embarks on a new chapter as a member of the MERITA Platform, preparing for a European tour in 2024 with their project 'Dvorak - Down the Rabbit Hole,' co-funded by the European Union. Their third album, 'Flor Alpaerts String Quartets,' is set for release in October 2024 and will be showcased on stages across Europe and China.