The ARTE Quartett was founded in 1995 by the saxophonists Beat Hofstetter, Sascha Armbruster, Andrea Formenti and Beat Kappeler.
They are mainly committed to contemporary music and to jazz and free improvised music. Since the foundation of the quartet, the four saxophonists have personally cooperated with many composers, which has permitted the group to be involved in the developing process of composing. The ARTE Quartett has premiered a large number of commissions. In their larger projects they also arrange and compose their own music which they present at concerts with a thematically focus. Over the last years ARTE’s projects have included concerts with Urs Leimgruber, Hans Feigenwinter, Terry Riley,[1] Michael Riessler, Tim Berne,[2] Fred Frith,[3] Nick Didkovsky, Pierre Favre, Lucas Niggli and Rabih Abou-Khalil. The quartet tours regularly and plays at various festivals and concert series and has recorded a wide number of new pieces with various national broadcast companies.
Among many festivals and venues the ARTE Quartett played at: Centre Culturel Suisse, Paris (F); Meistersinger Festival, Nürnberg (D); Eremitage, Schwaz (A); Münchner Klaviersommer, München (D); Fest der Künste, St. Moritz (CH); Theater, Basel (CH); Centro Culturale Svizzero, Mailand (I); Istituto Svizzero, Rom (I); Melos-Ethos, Bratislava (SLK); Ultraschall, Berlin (D); Jazzfestival, Schaffhausen (CH); Queen Elizabeth Hall, London Jazz Festival (GB);[4] Instant Chavirés, Paris (F); Bimhuis, Amsterdam (NL), FIMAV, Victoriaville (CA); Porgy & Bess, Wien (AT); Stanser Musiktage, Stans (CH); Off-Beat Festival, Basel (CH).