This ensemble was founded in the beginning of 2008, and relatively quickly established itself in one of the most active and the most representative Slovak ensembles focused on newer and contemporary music. It has evolved quite a rich concert activity, so its repertoire – consisting mostly of composed works from the Europe post avant-garde circle (French spectralists, Jannis Xenakis, contemporary Nordic, and Portuguese composers, etc.), and Slovak music – can be heard even outside of the festivals of contemporary music. In addition, the ensemble has in its repertoire also works from the period of classicism and romanticism.

The group of young professional musicians centering around the pianist and composer Ivan Buffa have had rich performing experiences, as most of them previously worked (or works) in other leading Slovak ensembles, and many have a long history of cooperation.

On the opening concert in the Large Concert Studio of Slovak Radio in February 2008, the ensemble presented the music of French spectralists and contemporary Slovak composers (Bokes, Godár, Podprocký). Since then, the ensemble has performed at festivals such as Musica Viva in Lisbon, Arcus Temporum in Pannonhalma, Warsaw Autumng, Ostrava Days, and many others. It performed also at Flagey in Brussels, and at Gasteig in Munich. It is a regular guest at major festivals in Slovakia such as Bratislava Music Festival and Melos Ethos.

Since 2013, it is the residential ensemble of Kasárne/Kulturpark in Košice, and since 2010 the city has regularly organized the festival “Quasars Ensemble & Košice”.

In 2014 the ensemble received the Crystal Wing award for the release of its profile CD (2013) with compositions by Arnold Shoenberg, Alexander Albrecht and Paul Hindemith.


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