At the time of its foundation in 1996[1] it was the first string quartet with such an orientation in the German-speaking world.
It is named after Kairos, in Greek mythology the god of the favourable moment and the embodiment of the subjective concept of time.
It has since collaborated with many composers, including Georg Friedrich Haas, György Kurtág, Helmut Lachenmann, Liza Lim, Sergej Newski, Enno Poppe, Wolfgang Rihm and Marco Stroppa.
[1][2] The Kairos Quartet frequently performs at Neue Musik festivals in Europe and Mexico.
In 2018, the quartet made its debut in China with a concert and several workshops at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.