Jiří Žigmund was born in 1966 in Prague. He graduated in 1986 from the Ostrava Conservatory, where he was taught by Professor Irena Vitkova (violine). In 1988 he started to play the viola with the Wihan Quartet. Then he continued his studies at the High Music school in Munich with Prof.Heinz Endress.
The Quartet takes part in Master classes by J. Metzger, U. Wiesel, H. Beyerle (Alban Berg Quartet) and A. Kohout (Smetana Quartet). In 1988, the ensemble was awarded the First Prize of the Prague Spring International Competition. In 1990, the Wihan Quartet won the International competition of Chamber Music at Trapani in Sicily. The ensemble demonstrated its high qualities again in the prestigious London International String Quartet Competition in April 1991 the jury chaired by Lord Yehudi Menuhin awarded the First Prize unanimously. The audience and journalists decided to expres their appreciation by awarding the Audience Prize to the ensemble. In 1996, it was awarded the 3rd Prize in "Chamber Festa" in Osaka in Japan. This success was followed by a number of performances in Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
The Wihan Quartet has recorded a selection of its rich repertoire for Bonton, Popron, Lotos (complete Beethoven's String Quartets), Studio Matous and Arco diva. The Wihan quartet has also cooperated with other quartets and soloist (M. Sadlo, H. Beyerle, B. Pergamenschikov, M. Bourgue, G. Kremer, M. Collins, J. Suk, P. Devoyon, etc.). Jiri Zigmund teaches at Trinity College of Music in London and regularly plays solo viola concerts, alone or with orchestras, in the Czech Republic. He also joins forces with one or two of the other Wihan members to perform string duos and trios.
