Cassia String Quartet

Don’t miss Cellist who returns with prizewinning quartet

Thanks to Helen for details of this event. Ed


On Tuesday 28th April at 7.30pm, St. Catherine’s Church, Ventnor will host a concert by one of the brightest young chamber ensembles in Britain today, the Cassia String Quartet.

Formed at the Royal Northern College of Music (NCM) in 2010, the quartet is earning wide critical acclaim and was the recipient of the 2013 Musiciens Entre Guerre et Paix Award from the International Académie Ravel. The Cassia Quartet was also recently awarded the Musicales prize from the RNCM, were the finalists in the Trinity Laban Intercollegiate Competition and winners of the 2013 Nossek String Quartet Prize.

A return to the Island for Joshua
The cellist of the quartet, Joshua Lynch, is particularly looking forward to returning to Ventnor having spent many intensive periods of study in Bonchurch with James Halsey before entering RNCM.

While they are here, the lively young quartet will be visiting the Isle of Wight Free School to inspire the young musicians there.

The programme
On April 28th, Mozart’s masterful string quartet in D minor K421 will start the programme. Full of poignant melodies, Mozart’s energetic writing is perfectly balanced in this absolute gem of the string quartet repertoire. This will be followed by Three Idylls by Frank Bridge.

A contemporary of Elgar and Vaughan Williams, Bridge was born and died in Sussex, and this work was written in 1906, before Bridge’s WWI experiences changed his outlook and his music. It is expressive music which explores many textures and idioms and exploits the rich tonality of the viola (which he played) within the quartet to full effect.

The stunning Brahms C minor String Quartet will complete the concert. Turbulent, dramatic music is combined with lyricism in the expansive writing of this great quartet. Although it was Brahms’ first published string quartet, there were many previous quartets written which Brahms consigned to the scrap heap before he was happy with this extraordinary work.

Book now
The concert will start at 7.30pm on 28th April 2015 at St Catherine’ Church in Ventnor.

Tickets are £10 adults, accompanied children free, available in advance on 01983 852201, or from [email protected] or on the door.