The Laurels String Quartet of Minneapolis was formed by violist Erica Burton in 2005 as a way to regularly enjoy and explore the diverse world of string quartet music.  The original goal was to form an ensemble of talented musicians who could take part in the joy of delving into the great classics of the repertoire as well as sharing its music with the community.  Since our inception, however, we found that we could turn this affection for the repertoire into a marketable and successful business, and as such have made our professional objective to help make our clients’ special events memorable and to help them feel at ease.

We eventually concluded that we needed a name for ourselves, and so (after some rather heated discussion!) the word “laurels” was decided upon because of all the various definitions it holds. The most obvious meaning of “laurels” is an award or prize; however, also evokes the ancient Olympic games held in Greece in which the winner was crowned with a wreath of laurels.  Finally, a Laurel tree is a beautiful Mediterranean evergreen with richly aromatic leaves.  So therefore, having found that we liked all of the meanings of the word “laurels” and felt they resonated well with our concept of a string quartet, we had our name!

As individuals, our members have performed throughout the world on stages ranging from international locations—such as Monte Carlo, Ireland, Austria—to a variety of national stages (Santa Barbara, New York, Chicago, Ravinia Park, and more).  We have all received Bachelors and Masters degrees in music performance and education, and all teach as well as perform often in the Minneapolis and the greater Twin Cities area.