Formed in 2016 at the Hochschule fur Musik und Tanz in Cologne, Germany, the Esme Quartet has rapidly gained a reputation as a chamber ensemble of exceptional achievement and promise. In spring 2018 the quartet won first prixe and four special prizes at the prestigious Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition in London. The ensemble takes its name from an Old French word meaning "loved" or "esteemed". In June 2020, The Strad praised the Esme's precision, unanimously articulated chords, and deeply sympathetic playing. They are joined by Soo Yeon Lyuh, a master of the haegeu, a composer, and improviser currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area.