Harlem Quartet was founded in 2006 by the Sphinx Organization. The original four members were all first prize laureates of the Sphinx Competition. The Organization wanted to create a group comprised of these laureates to achieve the overall mission of bringing classical music to inner-city school children.

The group takes its name from the neighborhood in New York City that holds such a rich piece of American history – The Harlem Renaissance. During the 1920s, Harlem became a beacon of hope where educated African Americans migrated looking for better opportunities in the North. We like to think that the work we do–bringing classical music to schools in Harlem and around the world–is in line with this cultural renaissance Harlem represents for African-Americans.

Since its public debut in 2006 at Carnegie Hall, the New York-based ensemble has performed throughout North and South America, as well as in France, the U.K., Belgium, Japan, and in Ethiopia and South Africa.

Harlem Quartet has been featured on WNBC, CNN, WQXR-FM, and the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. In 2009 they performed for President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House and appeared Christmas morning on NBC’s Today Show.

The group was conceived as an instrument to realize a much bigger goal than ourselves: to diversify and create new audiences for classical music, as well as to commission and perform works written by contemporary composers. We found that this cross-pollination of classical, contemporary, jazz, and Latin-infused repertoire made our concerts more appealing for a younger audience. What started as a tool to be more accessible to the kids developed into a true affinity toward all these genres. Subsequently, we started incorporating more of this repertoire into our regular programming to the point that it has shaped our artistic identity as a group.