The Purcell String Quartet was known not only as one of the more important Canadian string quartets from the latter half of the twentieth century, but as an ensemble eager to both premiere and champion works by contemporary Canadian composers. It introduced such compositions as R. Murray Schafer's First (1972), Second (1977), and Fourth (1989) quartets, the second quartets of Anton Kuerti and André Prévost (both 1974), Coulthard's Octet (1976), and numerous other works, many written specifically for them. But the ensemble was hardly devoted to just contemporary Canadian music: in 1973 it gave the Canadian premiere of Mexican composer Mario Lavista's Diacronia and four years later presented the first Canadian performance of Britten's String Quartet No. 1. The Purcell String Quartet was founded in 1968 by four first-chair players in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra -- violinists Norman Nelson and Raymond Owens, violist Simon Streatfeild, and cellist Ian Hampton. The ensemble's first concert was given in March 1969 with guest artist Fou Ts'ong on piano. The event turned out to be quite an auspicious start for the group, since it was taped and later broadcast throughout Canada on the CBC. The Purcell players typically presented their concerts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and on tour at other major concert halls in Canada and abroad. Two personnel changes came early to the PSQ when Philippe Etter replaced Streatfeild in 1969 and Frederick Nelson succeeded Owens the following year. Additional personnel changes occurred in 1976 when Frederick Nelson departed. His successors were replaced relatively quickly, with the chair finally claimed by Bryan King in 1979, the year Norman Nelson was succeeded by Sydney Humphreys. The final changes came in the late '80s: violinist Marc Destrubé replaced Humphreys (1987) and cellist Heather Hay succeeded the ensemble's most senior member Ian Hampton (1989). The PSQ was involved in founding the Hornby Island Festival in 1980 and was instrumental in the advancement of several musical/educational concerns in Canada, such as the Courtenay Youth Music Camp. The PSQ twice served as a quartet-in-residence, the first time at Simon Fraser University (1972-1982) and the latter at the University of Victoria (1989-1990). The Purcell players made numerous successful tours abroad, including of the former USSR (1980), the United States (1986), and France and Great Britain (1987). Among the group's more important recordings is a complete cycle of the Schafer string quartets for RCI Records.