Founded in 1986, the Ma'alot Quintet can be numbered among leading international chamber music ensembles of today. The repertoire of the ensemble embraces compositions for wind quintet from the Viennese Classics to the present day, as well as arrangements specially prepared by Ulf-Guido Schäfer, and now all available on CD.

Particular emphasis is placed in their work on championing new music, in close collaboration with today’s composers, introducing audiences to new sounds and ideas and thereby expanding the chamber music repertoire. The ensemble receives wide support in the realisation of this activity, and for its experimental ideas, from concert agencies, promoters, producers and fellow performers. The recently initiated collaboration with the »Glissando« label further extends the ensemble’s series of widely-acclaimed recordings.

Following their founding, the Ma’alot Quintet soon achieved wide international recognition, winning four 1.rst prizes in major international chamber-music competitions, foremost among them First Prize in the ARD International Music Competition in Munich. Numerous invitations to international music festivals followed, as well as for radio productions with Germany’s key networks, and a lively concert activity has taken them throughout Germany as well as abroad.

All members of the quintet hold leading positions in major German orchestras or teach at music conservatories.

The name Ma'alot comes from the Hebrew and symbolizes the path to harmony and musical concord.