Led by violinist Keith Bond, the Society of Musical Friends is a curated chamber ensemble that brings together distinguished artists in configurations ranging from violin and piano to string quartet and larger chamber groups.

Devoted to performing the greatest works of the chamber repertoire at the highest artistic level, the Society draws inspiration from the historic tradition of chamber music as it was originally experienced: closely, directly, and among friends.

The Society of Musical Friends is praised for its “old-school European elegance,” “unmistakably traditional sound, expressive clarity and warmth that harkens back to the golden age of quartet playing,” and “interpretive depth reminiscent of the Amadeus Quartet” (Gramophone, The Strad, Bachtrack).

Hailed as one of America’s top chamber ensembles, they’ve earned national acclaim through performances at major festivals, broadcasts, and venues—including a 2023 Carnegie Hall debut noted as their leap from “regional excellence to national recognition”

(Gramophone).

Known for its expressive power and technical brilliance, they’ve collaborated with artists including Karoly Schranz, David Kim, Paul Neubauer, Alexander Markov, Julie Coucheron and David Krakauer.

MAJOR APPEARANCES

The ensemble brings together prize-winning musicians from around the world. They have appeared in a wide variety of venues around the world, most notably in the US in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Cincinnati Music Hall, the Midwest Trust Center and at the OK Mozart Festival; and St John's Smith Square, King’s Place and Lincoln Cathedral in the UK.

The Society of Musical Friends has also performed and been recorded live for PBS and NPR affiliates numerous times in the USA on radio and television.

DISCOGRAPHY

The Society of Musical Friends' discography is extensive, including complete cycles of Beethoven quartets and recordings of works by Brahms, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Haydn, Bartok and Schubert. Their recording of both Mozart’s "Six Quartets Dedicated to Haydn" and all eighteen Beethoven String Quartets for Kansas Public Radio are particularly noteworthy.

COLLABORATIONS WITH BALLET COMPANIES

The Society of Musical Friends has garnered unique acclaim for their dynamic collaborations with ballet companies, notably through their performances of Alexander Ekman's "Cacti" with companies around the US including the Cincinnati Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Ballet Arizona & Oklahoma City Ballet.

This innovative piece, which melds live music with contemporary dance, has seen the quartet share the stage with dancers, in a captivating interplay between musicians and performers.

Their rendition with the Kansas City Ballet was particularly celebrated to great acclaim in Bachtrack and Broadway World, who said: “This was a memorable, relentless performance and easily this reviewer’s favourite piece of the evening.”

Similarly, their collaboration with the Oklahoma City Ballet was lauded for creating a "rich, all-encompassing, and simply gorgeous sensory experience" by the Oklahoma City Free Press.