Mark Swed of the LA Times described The Lyris Quartet as “radiant, exquisite and powerfully engaged. The ensemble was founded in 2008 by members who have all won numerous awards at various festivals across the globe, such as the International Tchaikovsky Competition at the Aspen Music Festival. The Leos Janacek masterful Second String Quartet, subtitled ‘Intimate Letters,’ has held a special place in the ensemble’s heart for years. This is the first work that the group ever performed in public. The String Quartet No. 2 was composed in 1928 at request from the Bohemian Quartet. The work was inspired by his long friendship with Kamila Stosslova. The piece is said to reflect the hundreds of letters that they sent back and forth to one another.