The Santiago String Quartet was formed in 2008. Its primary work is the promotion of Latin music in the U.K. and abroad. Suzanne Evans and Jonathan Hennessey-Brown were founder members of “Cuarteto Genesis” (Genesis Quartet) in Yucatan, Mexico. It was with this group and living and working in Latin America that their passion for serious contemporary Latin music was born. Cuarteto Genesis discovered repertoire which is rarely or never performed in the United Kingdom. The quartet performed with the Grammy award nominated Cuarteto Latinoamericano (Latin American Quartet) and played in the 2008 International Chamber Music Festival in Mexico City’s main theatre “Bellas Artes”.  

The Santiago Quartet represents a continuation and extension of the mission which started in Merida (Mexico) in 2005, now working with Mexican and Latin artists and specialising in repertoire from Latin America, alongside other more standard concert repertoire. The quartet has been introducing young musicians to the rich repertoire from Latin America through master-classes and workshops in schools. Santiago chiefly performs works and commissions by living and young composers.  Their Latin repertoire includes that of Miguel del Aguila, Javier Alvarez, Astor Piazzolla, and Javier Montiel.

Recent performances include collaborations with singer-songwriter Ana Silvera at the Purcell Room and live on Radio 3 and as part of Guildford Spring Music Festival with a programme “From the Americas.”

Following their first collaborative recitals at Bolivar Hall and St Martin-in-the-Fields in the 2010/11 season with Ahmed Dickinson, Santiago has now produced an album of works by Leo Brouwer, Miguel del Aguila and Javier Alvarez. This album launches in London in September 2011 and will be available from sources including iTunes, HMV and Amazon.co.uk.