Fibonacci String Quartet
Luna De Mol and Kryštof Kohut violins
Elliot Kempton viola | Findlay Spence cello
arr. Fibonacci Quartet Moravian Love Songs
Bartók String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102
Schumann String Quartet No. 3 in A major, Op. 41 No. 3
The Fibonacci Quartet is one of Europe’s leading young string quartets. They have recently taken prizes at the Royal Over-Seas League Competition and the Cavatina Chamber Music Competition at Wigmore Hall, and are quickly establishing a reputation as compelling performers of a wide variety of repertoire.
The Quartet blew us away on their first visit to Leamington with their magical performance of Bartók’s Fourth Quartet, and we simply had to invite them back to give us more at the earliest opportunity! This, partnered with Schumann’s brilliant Quartet No. 3 and a graceful nod to Leamington Music’s speciality in Czech music, they will get the Festival off to a very fine start indeed.
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets:
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Dudok String Quartet
Judith Van Driel & Marleen Wester violins
Marie-Louise de Jong viola, David Faber cello
and Pieter Wispelwey cello
Dowland Lachrimae or Seven Tears
Mozart String Quartet No. 21 in D major, K375 ‘Prussian’
Schubert String Quintet in C major, D956
The Dudok Quartet from Amsterdam returns to Leamington after their well-received debut here in 2024. This time they come with the brilliant Dutch cellist, Pieter Wispelwey, whose distinguished career has spanned five continents, to bring us the greatest String Quintet of all time to finish the Winter Season with some fireworks.
Concert generously supported by Jolyon Hall
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Front Nave: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Middle Nave: £23 full price | £11.50 under-35s | £3 child/student
Rear Nave & Sides: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Henschel Quartet
Christoph Henschel and Hannah Perowne violins
Monika Henschel viola, Mathias Beyer-Karlshøj cello
Haydn String Quartet, Op. 76 No. 1 in G major
Freda Swain String Quartet No. 1 in E minor ‘Norfolk’
Mendelssohn String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80
The Henschel Quartet from Germany returns for its eleventh visit since first playing in Leamington in February 2000, the last time opening the 2018/19 Winter Season. For this concert, the Quartet sandwiches two works we know and love with a new one for many of us: the First Quartet of Freda Swain (written in 1924), whose oeuvre is currently being rediscovered and who should undoubtedly have been recognised as one of the most prominent composers of her time.
Concert generously supported by Diane Holt
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Front Nave: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Middle Nave: £23 full price | £11.50 under-35s | £3 child/student
Rear Nave & Sides: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Royal Quartet
Izabella Szałaj-Zimak and Elwira Przybyłowska violins
Paulenne Czarny viola, Michał Pepol cello
Mozart String Quartet No. 13 in D minor, K173
Grażyna Bacewicz String Quartet No. 4
Brahms String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51 No. 2
After 25 years of joint music-making, 20 internationally acclaimed records, being six-time nominees and twice winners of the ‘Fryderyk’ award, and concerts given on all continents and a loyal audience, the Royal String Quartet from Poland is a world-recognized ensemble. Witnessing their exuberance, artistic ingenuity, penchant for exploration, and openness to new challenges, it is hard to believe they have been performing together for so many years. In the quartet’s interpretations critics find a multitude of “vivid textures and colours, supported by the insightful knowledge of the musical construction” (BBC Music Magazine). Their interpretations are “confident and energetic, characterized by a vast array of dynamics and timbres, with carefully planned, surprising twists” (Gramophone), and we are delighted to welcome them back to Leamington after far too long a gap.
Concert generously supported by the Polish Cultural Institute London
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Front Nave: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Middle Nave: £23 full price | £11.50 under-35s | £3 child/student
Rear Nave & Sides: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Gildas Quartet
Tom Aldren and Gemma Sharples violins
Christine Anderson viola, Anna Menzies cello
Jessie Montgomery Strum
Alwyn String Quartet No. 1 in D minor
Beethoven String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3 ‘Rasumovsky’
Praised for their energy, verve, and refreshing approach, the Gildas Quartet have performed to critical acclaim at major venues including the Bridgewater Hall, Purcell Room, Wigmore Hall, and live on BBC Radio 3. Their bold and explorative approach to performance has been recognised by the International Franz Schubert and Modern Music Competition, Graz, where they won first prize in the Audience Engagement Award.
Concert generously supported by Peter Robinson
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Front Nave: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Middle Nave: £23 full price | £11.50 under-35s | £3 child/student
Rear Nave & Sides: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Marmen Quartet
Johannes Marmen and Laia Valentin Braun violins
Bryony Gibson-Cornish viola, Sinéad O’Halloran cello
Haydn String Quartet, Op. 50 No. 5 in F major ‘Dream’
Bartók String Quartet No. 2
Debussy String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10
Chosen by Peter Cropper as the very first winners of Music in the Round’s Bridge scheme, the Marmen Quartet return to us having won first prizes at the prestigious Bordeaux and Banff International String Quartet Competitions. The quartet brings its energy and intelligence to an impressive range of repertoire which is most evident in this exciting choice of programming.
Concert generously supported by Clive & Fran Dutson
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Front Nave: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Middle Nave: £23 full price | £11.50 under-35s | £3 child/student
Rear Nave & Sides: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Sacconi String Quartet
Ben Hancox & Hannah Dawson violins
Robin Ashwell viola | Cara Berridge cello
Simon Callaghan piano
Ravel String Quartet in F major
Bliss Piano Quartet
Franck Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 14
The Sacconi Quartet are fast becoming Festival favourites and, considering they have been captivating audiences with their unanimous and compelling ensemble for over two decades now, it is easy to see why. They come this year with Simon Callaghan, whose impeccable playing we last enjoyed with the Greenwich Piano Trio in the 2023 Festival.
For our final concert, this is a true Festival programme in every way: arriving at the culmination of our celebrations of Maurice Ravel and Arthur Bliss, and finishing with one of the greatest Piano Quintets of all time.
Join us after the concert for a celebratory glass of wine!
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9pm
Tickets:
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Carducci String Quartet
Matthew Denton & Michelle Fleming violins
Eoin Schmidt-Martin viola | Emma Denton cello
Emma Johnson clarinet
Puccini Crisantemi
Bliss Clarinet Quintet
Emma Johnson Isolation Lament and Dance for solo clarinet and tapping foot
Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A major, K581
The Carducci Quartet first played for Leamington Music in 2009 and this is their ninth concert for us; Emma Johson has also long been an audience favourite and returns to us after a wonderful concert in the 2022 Festival.
Arthur Bliss’s Clarinet Quintet is one of his most notable achievements; it is arguably the finest work in the medium from the 20th century and one that is performed and recorded far less frequently than it deserves. It certainly holds its weight in comparison with Mozart’s Quintet which makes for a wonderful and thought-provoking pairing in this programme.
Generously supported by Jennifer Lorch
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9pm
Tickets:
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Fibonacci Quartet
Kryštof Kohut and Luna De Mol violins
Elliot Kempton viola, Findlay Spence cello
Haydn String Quartet, Op. 76 No. 4 in B flat major ‘Sunrise’
Bartók String Quartet No. 4, Sz91
Schubert String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D810 ‘Death and the Maiden’
The Fibonacci Quartet are one of Europe’s leading young string quartets. They have recently taken prizes at the Royal Over-Seas League Competition and the Cavatina Chamber Music Competition at Wigmore Hall, and are quickly establishing a reputation as compelling performers of a wide variety of repertoire. Without a doubt they will have a fresh and vigorous take on this incredible programme.
Concert generously supported by Peter Glanfield
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student
Coull Quartet
Roger Coull and Philip Gallaway violins
Jonathan Barritt viola, Nicholas Roberts cello
Mozart String Quartet No. 14 in G major, K387 ‘Spring’
Prokofiev String Quartet No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50
Beethoven String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2, ‘Rasumovsky’
Formed in 1974 by students at the Royal Academy of Music under the guidance of renowned quartet leader, Sidney Griller, the Coull Quartet rapidly achieved national recognition and now celebrate their 50th anniversary.
The Coull were appointed Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Warwick in 1977, a post they held for over forty years. The Quartet, which includes two of its founder members, has performed and broadcast extensively throughout the UK, and has made tours of Western Europe, the Americas, Australia, China, India and the Far East.
Mozart makes his only appearance for this year’s Season here, appropriately with his ‘Spring’ Quartet, Prokofiev’s First Quartet is a much-anticipated rarity in our programming and Beethoven’s second ‘Rasumovsky’ Quartet is an evergreen must-hear in a concert like this one.
Leamington Music is delighted to be part of the anniversary celebrations as one of the first concerts of the next 50 years for this very special ensemble!
Concert generously supported by Stan & Helen Ireland
The finer details…
Interval: 20 mins
Estimated finish: 9.30pm
Tickets
Centre section: £28 full price | £3 child/student
Side sections: £18 full price | £9 under-35s | £3 child/student