The Molinari Quartet enjoys looking beyond boundaries. The ensemble has earned great acclaim for its complete recordings of the string quartets of Luciano Berio and György Kurtág. For the project Mondriaan / Molinari: Musical Inspirations, the Molinari Quartet collaborates with visual artist Udo Prinsen. The quartet’s namesake, painter Guido Molinari (1933–2004), was profoundly influenced by the paintings of Piet Mondriaan (1872–1944).

In his new work, composer Denis Gougeon explores the legacy of Mondriaan, while composer Wilbert Bulsink draws inspiration from the work of Molinari. In his new four-movement string quartet, Bulsink focuses on the playful nature of Molinari’s paintings. These two new compositions are complemented by two classics from the Canadian and Dutch string quartet repertoire: Objets perdus by John Rea and Streepjes by Guus Janssen. All these quartets engage with rhythm, contrast, and the mechanics of musical perception. For his live visuals, Prinsen combines traditional analog animation with animations driven by the Molinari Quartet’s performance. According to Prinsen, this creates a rhythmic, immersive experience of abstract imagery and sound.

→ The Molinari Quartet acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for its concert tour in the Netherlands, as well as the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec for the same tour.