The Puertas Quartet was formed in 2009, after a request for the individual players to come together to play a recital including Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden' Quartet, and within just six months reached the semi-finals of the International Bordeaux String Quartet Competition. Having performed and worked together in different guises over the past 15 years, the quartet soon realised their shared musical backgrounds and ideals. They were invited to give a series of ten quartet recitals over two weeks as part of a chamber music festival on board a luxury cruise ship, an experience which cemented their musical partnership and their passions for the future as a quartet. As a result of these concerts, the quartet have been invited to perform as 'quartet in residence' for the 2010 Hendon music festival and for the prestigious Ludlow Festival in 2011 as well as recitals for music societies across the UK. The members of the quartet all studied in London at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and have attended festivals in Banff, IMS Prussia Cove, Badleonfelden, Dartington, Denmark & Britten-Pears. They have studied with such eminent musicians as Eric Hobarth, Lorand Fenyves, Andras Keller, Rainer Schmidt, Walter Levin, the Alban Berg, Brodsky, Chillingirian, Takacs, Kopelman, Lindsay and Fitzwilliam Quartets and the Israel Piano Trio. Alongside playing principal roles in London orchestras, the Puertas Quartet are passionate about playing together and achieving the highest possible standard in chamber music.