“A splendid richness of sound emerged, flawless execution, perfect balance, and an overall sense of refinement surrounded the performance of the Indaco Quartet, which also demonstrated its ability to project even the faintest whisper of sound effortlessly and to produce vast volumes of sound without a trace of harshness.” (R. Markow)
“Compact, full of brilliance and fervor, a true revelation. The Indaco Quartet has arrows in its quiver that hit the target with clear precision, concentration, and great skill.” (Il Giornale di Vicenza)
The Indaco Quartet was born to be the ultimate expression of four intersecting paths. Paths rooted deep in the past and in the passions of each of its members. Their love for exploration of the diversity of genres, and the myriad interpretations of voices from today, yesterday, and tomorrow are the driving force that the Indaco Quartet brings to every stage, with sincerity, freshness, and dedication. For its members, the quartet is an artistic and social laboratory—a ring that embraces everyone who has journeyed with them.
On May 18, 2023, after four rounds of competition among ten quartets from around the world, the Indaco Quartet won the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Japan, being awared the First Prize and two special prizes. A historic victory as it marks the first time an Italian quartet has won the top prize at one of the major international string quartet competitions, showing both the exceptional ensemble and musical qualities now achieved by Italian musicians and the Indaco Quartet’s inventive flair and joyful creative freedom, which captivated the international jury chaired by renowned Japanese cellist T. Tsutsumi.
Comprising Eleonora Matsuno and Ida Di Vita on violins, Jamiang Santi on viola, and Cosimo Carovani on cello, the quartet stands as one of the most compelling and versatile ensembles of its generation, asserting itself internationally with authority, vigor, and vitality. They have performed on prestigious stages around the world, such as Wigmore Hall in London, Izumi Hall, Santa Cecilia in Rome, and Sala Verdi in Milan among others.
Each member brings diverse expertise, spanning teaching, early music, and leadership roles in orchestras. Another unique feature of the quartet is its “composer in residence”—the group’s own cellist, who actively writes tailored pieces for the ensemble, alongside original compositions and arrangements for their many projects. Foremost among these, for the year 2025/2026 is “Moto Contrario”, a project focused on mental disabilities, supported by the European platform MERITA and developed in collaboration with visual artist Letizia Castellano. It weaves a narrative between the story of Robert Schumann and that of Anglo-Korean violinist Sarah Kim-Cross, who aims to share her poignant journey through illness and its implications with the world.
Beyond teaching at major national institutions, one of the quartet’s core missions is to reimagine and revive the chamber music experience by bringing music to unconventional spaces—such as prisons—and collaborating with schools and businesses, using the quartet as a metaphor for listening, growth, acceptance, and open sharing.
Together with the Milano Classica Orchestra, where they have been the resident quartet since 2017, the Indaco Quartet pioneered the Qu.B.E. (Quartet-Based Ensemble) format. This merges their deep knowledge of chamber orchestra and quartet repertoire, focusing on adaptations and explorations of works for string orchestras.
With powerful communicative energy and a fresh perspective on repertoire, the quartet collaborates with leading artists such as Alexander Lonquich, Alessandro Taverna, Giovanni Bietti, David Krakauer, Mao Fujita, Avi Avital, Julian Bliss, Sung-Won Yang, and Claudia Barainsky.
Nurtured in Italy’s quartet cradle at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, inspired by Piero Farulli, and mentored by Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartet), the quartet honed its craft under luminaries of the quartet tradition, including Günter Pichler (Primarius of the Alban Berg Quartet), Rainer Schmidt (Hagen Quartet), and German quartet visionary Eberhard Feltz.
The Indaco Quartet is a Pirastro Artist.
Eleonora Matsuno plays an 1869 J. B. Vuillaume violin once owned by Paolo Borciani, legendary first violinist of the Quartetto Italiano, on loan from a private collector.
Ida Di Vita plays a violin by Masahiro Matsuno, father of the first violin Eleonora.
Jamiang Santi performs on a 2019 viola dedicated to him by Polish luthier Adam Stalmach.
Cosimo Carovani plays a c. 1840 Charles Claudot cello owned by him.
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