Named after Jan Karski, the legendary Polish WW2 resistance fighter, Karski Quartet is a dynamic ensemble that blends passion, courage, and deep artistic sensitivity. Known for their energetic and emotionally rich interpretations, they create a powerful bond with audiences, captivating both classical music connoisseurs and a new generation of listeners. Their warm sound, expressive intensity, and relentless pursuit of excellence have earned them international recognition.
Since their founding in 2018, the Karskis have appeared across Europe and in Canada in a wide range of venues and festivals. A key figure in their artistic journey was Philippe Graffin, whose inspiring musical vision led to sharing the artistic direction of Traces Festival, a project founded by Graffin and aimed at the promotion of unjustly neglected chamber music repertoire. They have also collaborated with Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, David Waterman, Raphael Wallfisch, Chen Halevi, Simon Rowland-Jones, Gaëlle Solal, Katherine Broderick among others. Their debut album, featuring Boccherini’s string quintets recorded with Raphaël Feye for Evil Penguin (2023), was met with international acclaim. The 2025/26 season will bring the release of a second Boccherini album, as well as performances in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Flagey in Brussels, concerts in Belgium, France, the UK and the Karski’s debut in Hungary for the Quartetissimo Festival. Jan Karski’s unwavering courage, compassion and integrity are the values which drive the quartet’s artistic pursuits and influence their ethical considerations. In a world full of challenges, Karski Quartet stands for connection, authenticity and fearless musical storytelling. From Anglesey, North Wales, Jâms Coleman is a pianist who enjoys performing as a soloist, chamber musician, and vocal accompanist. He regularly performs at prestigious festivals and venues in the UK and internationally and recent highlights include recitals at the Aldeburgh Festival, BBC Proms, Champs Hill, Cello Biënnale (Amsterdam), Cheltenham Festival, Kings Place, Leeds Lieder Festival, LSO St Luke’s, Ortús Chamber Music Festival (Cork), Oxford International Song Festival, Petworth Festival, Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, The Royal Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), and Wigmore Hall. Jâms has a duo partnership with cellist Laura van der Heijden. Described as 'intriguing and beguiling' by The Guardian and as 'gently alluring, enigmatic and romantic' by Gramophone, their most recent album – ‘Path to the Moon’ - reached two million streams worldwide in the first week.
Other albums include an album of Bridge and Britten with Maria Włoszczowska, Hélène Clément and Steffan Morris for Champs Hill Records, works by Bacewicz with the Karski Quartet for Evil Penguin, works by Pamela Harrison with James Gilchrist, Alice Neary and Robert Plane for Resonus Classics, a disc of Fanny Hensel lieder for First Hand Records (recorded in Mendelssohn Haus, Leipzig), and a disc of Loewe lieder with baritone Nicholas Mogg for Champs Hill Records. He regularly works with singers and instrumentalists at the top of the profession. Highlights include performances with BBC NOW, Britten Sinfonia, the Elias Quartet, Karski Quartet, Kleio Quartet, Maxwell Quartet, and Marmen Quartet; recitals with instrumentalists Hélène Clément, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Brett Dean, Vashti Hunter, Guy Johnston, Jonian Ilias Kadesha, Braimah Kanneh-Mason, Felix Klieser, Jack Liebeck, Amy Norrington, Jennifer Pike, Timothy Ridout, and Jonathan Stone; recitals with singers Claire Booth, Katherine Broderick, James Newby, Nicky Spence, Sir John Tomlinson, Sir Bryn Terfel, and Elizabeth Watts. Jâms read Music at Girton College, Cambridge, where he was also a Choral Scholar. He graduated with a Masters from the Royal Academy of Music and was awarded an ARAM in 2023.