Levon Chilingirian was born in Cyprus to Armenian parents and was introduced to music from a very early age through his pianist mother and violinist great uncle. When the Chilingirian family emigrated to London in 1960, Levon concentrated on the violin, studying at the Royal College of Music where he is now a professor. His early influences in music were his uncle, the violinist Manoug Parikian, his teacher Hugh Bean, musicologist Hans Keller, and the Amadeus Quartet.

From 1971 to 1992, Mark Butler was a founding member of the Chilingirian String Quartet, touring world-wide and making over 30 recordings for Chandos, RCA Gold Seal, EMI, CRD and Nimbus Records. Mark taught chamber music at London’s Royal College of Music and at chamber music courses in Norway, Finland and Britain.

Born in Ripon, Yorkshire, and studied with William Pleeth at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has been principal cello with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta and the City of London Sinfonia and was also a member of the Delme Quartet for ten years. He has acted as guest principal cello with the London Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia.

Susie Mészáros studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School. She has been principal viola with the Camerata Salzburg, as well as a regular chamber music partner of her teacher, violinist Sándor Végh. She made her Wigmore Hall debut as a duo with Yehudi Menuhin in 1977 and performed with Vladimir Spivakov and Arthur Grumiaux. She won the Gold Medal at the Royal Over-Seas League competition and was a string finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year and played with many leading chamber ensembles including the Nash Ensemble.