Based in Honolulu, the Galliard String Quartet is committed to exploring and interpreting the musical masterpieces of the past and today.
Fueled by passion and sometimes coffee, the Galliard String Quartet’s romance for the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Schubert and many others is unparalleled. Founded in 1982, the Galliard is known throughout the islands for their uncompromising commitment to performing classical and new music of the highest caliber. All four members of the present Galliard are members of the Hawai`i Symphony Orchestra and are also seasoned teachers and music educators in the community.
The Galliard is one of three professional ensembles promoted by Chamber Music Hawaii, an independent 501c3 Hawai`i nonprofit whose mission is to enrich Hawaii cultural life and promote appreciation and understanding of chamber music, through concerts and educational outreach programs in various communities throughout the state. Though the Galliard performs predominantly on Oahu, the group also tours to Hawai‘i, Maui, Kauai, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i islands for concerts and educational outreach in public libraries, schools and even private homes.
The Galliard's 1995 album "Songs of Lili'uokalani" pays respectful homage to Hawaiian musical history through modern arrangements of the Queen's compositions by Robert Cazimero, Angel Pena, Byron Yasui, and other local composers. Recent highlights include collaborations with acclaimed pianists Joyce Yang, Wu Han, and Billy Childs; Hawaiian vocal artist Raiatea Helm; local composers Michael-Thomas Foumai, Takuma Itoh, Leilehua Lanzilotti, and Jon Magnussen; and silent film historian Rick Benjamin.
