Internationally recognized as one of the world's finest quartets, the American String Quartet recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Highlighting the anniversary was the Quartet’s debut in a new series of recordings on the Arabesque label, including quartets of celebrated composer Richard Danielpour and the launch of the complete Brahms string chamber music featuring a stellar list of collaborative artists. The Quartet was honored to be selected to represent the chamber music field in a series of retrospective concerts celebrating the Naumburg Foundation’s 80th anniversary, performed by previous winners of the Naumburg Award.

In three decades of touring, the American has performed in all fifty states and appeared in virtually every important concert hall throughout the world. Their presentations of the complete quartets of Beethoven, Schubert, Schoenberg, Bartók, and Mozart have won widespread critical acclaim. The Quartet performs frequently with celebrated guest artists, including clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and famed pianist Menahem Pressler, with whom the American will tour in Europe and South America during the 2008-2009 season.

Resident quartet at the Aspen Music Festival since 1974 and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York since 1984, the American has also served as resident quartet at the Taos School of Music (1979 to 1998), the Peabody Conservatory, and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The Quartet's diverse activities have also included numerous international radio and television broadcasts, tours of Asia, and performances with the New York City Ballet, the Montreal Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In the summer of 2008 the Quartet returned to Beijing for its fourth residency at the Great Wall International Music Academy.