Cuarteto Latinoamericano is the most celebrated string quartet in Latin America. The recipient of a prestigious Mexican music critics association award in 1983 and “most adventurous programming" awards from CMA/ASCAP in 1997, 1999 and 2000, the group has introduced more than fifty works written for them and has participated in over a hundred world premiers. Their twenty-five albums include the complete works for quartet of Sylvestre Revueltas, Alberto Ginastera, Rodolfo Halffter and Julian Orbon. Their sixth, and final, album of Hector Villa-lobos's string quartets, Quartets Nos. 4, 9 and 11, was nominated for a Latin Grammy as “best classical album of 2002". Formed in Mexico in 1981, Cuarteto Latinoamericano features three brothers -- violinists Saul and Aron and cellist Alvaro Bitran and viola player Javier Montiel. The group has collaborated with flute player Julius Baker, cellist Janos Starker, guitarist Narciso Yepes and conductor Eduardo Mata. Cuarteto Latinoamericano has held residencies at Centro Nacional de Las Arts in Mexico and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide