Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring like never seen before in Cardiff. Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone. Programme - Clocks - Shiver - Speed of Sound - Trouble - Fix You Paradise - Something Just Like This - Yellow - My Universe - The Scientist - A Sky Full of Stars Performers - 31st January: Cambria String Quartet - 20th February: String Quartet - To be announced!

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring like never seen before. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Adele under the gentle glow of candlelight. Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone. If you would like to book a private concert or buy regular tickets for a large group (30 people). Programme: - Hello - Rumour Has It - Make You Feel My Love - Water Under the Bridge - Oh My God - Someone Like You - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - Chasing Pavements - Skyfall - When We Were Young - Set Fire to the Rain - Easy On Me - Rolling in the Deep Performers: Weddington Strings

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring like never seen before. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Queen and ABBA. Programme: - Dancing Queen - SOS - Money, Money, Money - Bohemian Rhapsody - I Want to Break Free - Waterloo - Super Trouper - Mamma Mia - Don't Stop Me Now - We Will Rock You - We Are the Champions Performers String Quartet - Kavolini.

Experience Vivaldi’s iconic masterpiece The Four Seasons as you’ve never heard it before. A cornerstone of classical music, this vivid and revolutionary work captures the essence of nature with breathtaking virtuosity and emotional power. Its influence continues to echo through centuries of music-making, and remains one of the most beloved compositions in the classical canon. This captivating programme, performed by the celebrated Piccadilly Sinfonietta and leading violinist to be announced, promises an evening of elegance and inspiration. With over 200 performances annually, this acclaimed ensemble—featuring some of the UK’s most gifted virtuosi—has become a mainstay on the British classical scene. The evening's programme will contain Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' with a selection of other, renowned classical masterpieces.

Contemporary folk songs from the award-winning singer-songwriter who was crowned BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year in 2018

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Gloucester. Somebody To Love Bohemian Rhapsody Crazy Little Thing Called Love Killer Queen Love Of My Life Another One Bites The Dust I Want To Break Free We Are The Champions We Will Rock You Don't Stop Me Now Bicycle Race Who Wants To Live Forever Under Pressure Performers String Quartet - Unity String Quartet

Accompanied by Benji Kirkpatrick & Alex Hart Following on from the sell-out success of a Spring tour this year, Westcountry folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman has announced another run of intimate shows in 2023 accompanied by folk singer and musician Benji Kirkpatrick and Devon singer-songwriter Alex Hart. Seth Lakeman was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2005 for 'Kitty Jay'. It catapulted Lakeman into the forefront of the new British folk movement and his follow up was the gold-selling ‘Freedom Fields’. Produced by his brother Sean Lakeman it went on to become Seth’s first of 6 UK Top 40 albums. It was the 15th anniversary of the album, which includes ‘Lady of the Sea’, ‘King and Country’ and ‘White Hare’, in 2021 which prompted a Deluxe Reissue on Vinyl with bonus tracks. Seth released his 11th studio album Make Your Mark in November 2021. Written during his enforced 18 months off the road, the album features 14 powerful, brand-new songs including the singles Higher We Aspire and title track Make Your Mark which were playlisted at BBC Radio 2. The following year, Seth was part of the ‘Sea Song Sessions’ album released in September 2022 on Topic Records. A collection of British maritime folk songs and sea shanties performed by Jon Boden, Seth, Ben Nicholls, Emily Portman and Jack Rutter.

This is the first concert of theOxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Click here [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/] for details of the new season and discounted season ticket sales. Members of the Kamus quartet, founded in Helsinki in 2002, studied at the Sibelius Academy, the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), and the Britten Pears Academy in Aldeburgh, UK. This outstanding ensemble comes with a glowing international reputation not only for mastery of the classical string quartet repertoire but also for their exploration of contemporary works. Recently, they have toured Mexico, UK, Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands where they made a celebrated Concertgebouw debut in Amsterdam. Recordings from Kamus have gained wide plaudits and their live performances have been praised in the Helsingin Sanomat as perfectly blended [where] the brilliance of each individual shines through . Our season will open with a new composition, Flickereth , by Finnish composer Lotta Wennkoski, commissioned by the Kamus quartet. The three movements may evoke feelings of fluttering of the heart, flapping of sails, or flickering of light. Wennkoskis growing reputation has won her many commissions including from the Finnish RSO, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Danish String Quartet, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her works have been performed at the Carnegie Hall (NYC), the Walt Disney Hall (LA), and at the Last Night of the Proms in the Albert Hall (London). The concert will continue with Shostakovichs much-loved quartet No.8. The five movements are played without a break, and, despite its austere and melancholy mood, it has become a firm favourite of the repertoire. Seen by some as a deeply autobiographical work expressing the composers personal anguish, it resonates with contemporary audiences as a profound testament to humanitys ability to transcend extreme adversity. The final work today is the masterful five-movement quartet in D minor, Op.56 by Sibelius. Often spare and brooding, the notation Intimate Voices added by the composer to the Adagio suggests both the conversational quality of chamber music and the introspection that lies at the centre of this piece. The fierce driving finale will be a perfect ending to this Nordic-flavoured afternoon of exceptional music. Jukka Untamala (violin), Terhi Paldanius (violin), Jussi Tuhkanen (viola), Petja Kainulainen (cello) Photo credit 2024 : Maarit Kytharju Programme Lotta Wennkoski Flickereth (2023) Shostakovich - String Quartet No.8 in C minor, Op.110 ------ interval ------ Sibelius String Quartet in D minor, Op.56, Intimate voices

This is the second concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Clickhere [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/]for details of the full season. The London-based Eusebius Quartet was formed in 2016 and has gained a reputation for imaginative performances possessing a full-blooded yet flexible tone ( BBC Music Magazine ).This reflects the quartets name which is derived from the poetic side of the two fictional characters invented by Robert Schumann for his musical journal writings. These characters became symbolic of Schumanns opposing moods: the fiery and impassioned Florestan contrasted the philosophical and dreamy Eusebius. The quartet regularly performs in the UK including appearances at Kings Place, Conway Hall and Glyndebourne, as well as at Festivals and on BBC Radio 3. Between them the members bring influences from their rich and diverse musical backgrounds, having each studied at leading international conservatoires, namely the Juilliard School, New York, the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music, London and the Paris Conservatoire. Today they will open their concert with Schuberts Quartettsatz . Originally intended to be the first movement of a full quartet, this restless and passionate piece evokes the bitter-sweet nature of love. It will be followed by Mozarts K465 quartet, nicknamed Dissonance after the clashing voices that collide in the opening movement before emerging into sunshine and tenderness. The concert is completed by Erich Korngolds quartet No.1. The Eusebius recording of chamber music by Korngold has received widespread critical acclaim including Recording of the Month by BBC Music Magazine . This concert certainly encompasses the fusion of fire and poetry the quartet aims to achieve. Beatrice Philips (violin), Venetia Jollands (violin), Hannah Shaw (viola), Hannah Sloane (cello) Photo credit 2024 Anna Patarakina Programme Schubert Quarttetsatz in C minor, D703 Mozart Quartet No.19 in C major, K465, Dissonance ------ interval ------ Erich Korngold String Quartet No.1 in A major, Op.16

This is the third concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Click here [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/] for details of the full season. The three artists in this first concert of the New Year are well-known internationally and particularly to Oxford audiences. Ben Goldscheider completed his studies with the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin in 2020. He is Principal Horn in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and a member of the Boulez Ensemble and the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective. Ben is a brilliant soloist and committed chamber musician, performing with many leading musicians and ensembles. He has appeared as a soloist at major concert halls across Europe and with leading European and British orchestras. Among frequent events in Oxford, he has recently given recitals at St. Johns College and Trinity College as well as appearing with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in the Sheldonian Theatre. See more at Bens website here. [https://www.bengoldscheider.com] Anna Tilbrook studied music at York University and with Julius Drake at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she was a major prize winner. She is one of Britains most exciting pianists, with a considerable reputation in song recitals and chamber music. Anna made her debut at the Wigmore Hall in 1999 and has since become a regular performer at Europes top concert halls and festivals. She has collaborated with many leading singers and String Quartets such as the Carducci, Fitzwilliam, Elias, Coull, Barbirolli and Sacconi. Her recordings of 20th-century English songs for Linn Records, and Chandos have been very well received. See more at Annas website here. [https://www.annatilbrook.co.uk] From his early training as a chorister in the choir of New College, Oxford, James Gilchrist has become one of the most sought-after British tenors. His extensive repertoire has seen him perform with many of Britain's leading orchestras, including the English Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia and Northern Sinfonia, and in concert halls throughout the world. James exploration of British song, especially the works of Britten and Finzi, has been highly acclaimed. As The Times stated: ' As an interpreter of English song, Gilchrist is often in a class by himself '. He has also gained an international reputation for his performances of Schumann and Schubert song cycles where his expressive tenor brings out the nuances of these lyrical songs. See more at James website here. [https://www.jamesgilchrist.co.uk] Together, James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook have been delighting international audiences for over 25 years with their sensitive and moving interpretations of the Lieder repertoire. Each of their varied and compelling recent performances at the Oxford International Song Festival and at Trinity College have made them firm favourites with Oxford audiences. Of a recent recital Erica Jeal in The Guardian wrote, Gilchrist is, as ever, a hugely clear and communicative singer, in perfect balance with Tilbrooks sense of focus and poise Todays concert will begin with Beethovens only song cycle, To the distant beloved , from 1816. This is followed by Schumanns Adagio and Allegro, written expressly for the horn and piano, and the Liederkreis for tenor and piano. The final piece before the interval, Schuberts Auf dem Strom , carries echoes of the Beethoven and distant memories of a beloved. The concert will conclude with two of Brittens most loved compositions for tenor, horn, and piano. Ben Goldscheider has written about the Serenade that: To this day, nobody has really succeeded in emulating its form. Each movement is a character study on a different facet of the horn: in some movements it acts as a commentator on the text; at other moments it bursts forth, for example in the Dirge where the fortissimo horn melody totally obliterates the voice. So, Britten understands what the horn is as a symbol and treats it in a unique way . BBC Music Magazine 2024. This combination of three exceptional artists in a wide-ranging programme promises to be an outstanding concert. Ben Goldscheider (horn), James Gilchrist (tenor), Anna Tilbrook (piano) Photo credits: Ben Goldscheider Ben Goldscheider; James Gilchrist Stephen Boffey; Anna Tilbrook 2024 Nobby Clark & Victoria Cadish Programme Beethoven An Die Ferne Geliebte , Op.98 (Tenor & Piano) Robert Schumann Adagio and Allegro in Amajor, Op.70 (Horn & Piano) Robert Schumann Liederkreis , Op.39 (Eichendorff): 7. Auf einer Burg (Tenor & Piano) Schubert Auf dem Strom , D.943 (Tenor, Horn, & Piano) ----- Interval ----- Britten Canticle III, Still Falls the Rain (Tenor, Horn, & Piano) Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op.31

This is the fourth concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Click here [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/] for details of the full season. The Coull Quartet was formed in 1974 by students at the Royal Academy of Music and rapidly achieved recognition as one of Britains leading string quartets. They soon established themselves nationally and internationally, performing regularly in concerts and radio broadcasts in Britain, Western Europe and the USA, and touring India, China, South America and Australia. The Strad praised a performance in New York for . the groups precision, intonation and balance [which] defied criticism. This was a wonderful afternoon . Since the mid-1980s the Coull Quartet has made over 30 recordings featuring a wide selection of the repertoire closest to their hearts, from the complete Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets to 20th century and contemporary British chamber music. Their CD of quartets by Maw and Britten on the Somm label received universal acclaim; in addition to being featured in Editors Choice in The Gramophone , it was also described as the Benchmark Recording by BBC Music Magazine . They will open their concert with Haydns sparkling Op.74, No.1 quartet which is full of harmonic surprises and ending in a brilliant, energetic romp.The repressive background to Shostakovichs musical career in the Soviet Union is well-known, and its effect on the composition of his majestic 4th quartet is evident. His choice of folk idioms, especially Jewish ones, was a way for him to write politically acceptable yet deep and significant music.Todays concert is completed by Dvoks 9thquartet, a piece also containing fragments of lively folk dances yet one that is infused with wistfulness. This concert by the Coull Quartet promises to be another wonderful afternoon of chamber music at its best. Programme Haydn Quartet in C major, Op.74, No.1 Shostakovich Quartet No.4 in D major, Op.83 ------ interval ------ Dvok Quartet No.9 in D minor, Op.34 Roger Coull (violin),Philip Gallaway (violin),Jonathan Barritt (viola),Nicolas Roberts (cello) Photo credit Coull Quartet

This is the fifth concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society's 2025-2026 season. From its debut in 2014, Ensemble Molire has gained a reputation as a superb early music ensemble. A distinctive combination of instruments provides memorable and creative programmes from the repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries, all performed on historical instruments. The ensemble was selected as the first-ever Radio 3 New Generation Baroque Ensemble in October 2021, a scheme run in partnership by BBC Radio 3, the National Centre for Early Music and the Royal College of Music. They have performed throughout the UK and Europe, including concerts at the Buxton International Festival, Beverley Early Music Festival, Lammermuir Festival, MA Festival Fringe in Bruges and Festival Oude Muziek Fringe in Utrecht. Early Music Reviews comments that Ensemble Molire are clearly totally absorbed into the French Baroque style of performing, their eloquent playing revealing the sensitivities and bon got that the genre demands. Their recent recording of music written for the court of Louis XIV demonstrates that they have a good feeling for the French style. They have understood that elegance and restraint were two important hallmarks of music performed at Louiss court MusicWeb 2024. Ensemble Molire present their programme Hidden Gems -a diverse, beautiful and rarely heard collection of 18th century French baroque chamber music including Dandrieus suspenseful Italianate trio sonata which is resonant with the music of Corelli, and Guillemans virtuosic quartet which is comparable with Telemanns Paris Quartets. The programme also features two works by Frances leading female baroque composer lisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, whose music impresses with both virtuosity and beauty. The ensemble explores a variety of different sound worlds, from a delicate bass duet by Corrette to a boisterous flute sonata by Boismortier and stylishPices de Clavecinby Duphly. Discover a whole host of music to add to your playlist in this latest instalment from Ensemble Molire. Flavia Hirte (flute), Alice Earll (violin), Catriona McDermid (bassoon), Kate Conway (viola da gamba), Satoko Doi-Luck (harpsichord) Photo credit 2025 Max Mausen Programme Louis-Nicolas Clrambault (16761749) Simphonia IVa Michel Corrette (17071795) Sonata in B-flat major, Les dlices de la solitude, Op.20 No.4 lisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (16651729) Sonata No.4 in G major (arranged for Flute) Jacques Duphly(17151789)Pices de Clavecin, Troisime Livre Pierre Gautier de Marseille(1642-1696)Suite in C interval Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (17051770) Sonate en Quatuor in A minor, Op.17 No.6 Joseph Bodin de Boismortier(16891755)Sonata in A minor, Op.37 No.5 lisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre Sonata No.1 in D minor Jean-Franois Dandrieu (16891755) Sonate in G minor, Op.1 No.3

This is the final concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Founded in 2010, the top-ranking Trio Gaspard is widely praised for its unique and fresh approach to the score. Its members, who hail from Germany, Greece and the UK, are successful soloists and continue to pursue their solo careers, giving recitals and performing concertos. They have performed in major UK and European venues including the Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Essen Philharmonie, and the Albert Hall for the BBC Proms. The Trio has won first prizes and special prizes at the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition in Weimar, the 5th International Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna and the 17th International Chamber Music Competition in Illzach, France. Their recordings of Haydns trios for Chandos have received widespread critical acclaim; The Strad magazine praised Volume 1, writing Its truly a delight, and leaves this listener hungry for more, while Gramophone remarked on their high levels of virtuosity and performative imagination . As well as exploring and championing the traditional piano trio repertoire, Trio Gaspard works regularly with contemporary composers. They have commissioned companion pieces to the Haydn trios one of which, by Finnish composer Olli Mustonen, opens our programme. Mustonen writes about his piece that it pays homage to the astonishing and mysterious modulation chains in Haydn's music, as well as to his boyish and endearing humour, which is so full of sunshine . Following Haydns own delightful trio, which weaves gypsy dance tunes into the classical sonata form, Trio Gaspard will perform a new piece commissioned from the Moldovan composer and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja. The Carnival atmosphere of Liszts Hungarian Rhapsody follows in which Liszt also sought to capture what he believed were authentic folk melodies often improvised by gypsy ensembles. The concert will conclude with Schuberts majestic first piano trio, described by Schumann as lyrical, sensuous, bright and nuanced '. This promises to be an exhilarating afternoon of the finest chamber music to end our season. Olli Mustonen - Introduzione e Allegro alla Polacca (2022) Haydn - Piano Trio No.39 in G major Hob XV:25 Gypsy Rondo Patricia Kopatchinskaja - Piano Trio (New Commission) Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No.9 in E Carnival in Pest Schubert - Piano Trio No.1 in B major Op.99 D898 Jonian Ilias Kadesha (violin), Vashti Hunter (cello), Nicholas Rimmer (piano) Photo credit 2024 : Andrej Grilc

This is the sixth concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Click here [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/] for details of the full season. For todaysconcert theQuatuor Modiglianimake a return visit to Oxford following their sell-out concert at the Sheldonian in 2023. Founded in 2003, they are recognised as one of todays most sought-after quartets, featuring regularly in prominent international series and on the worlds most prestigious stages. In addition to annual tours in the United States and in Asia, their numerous European tours have brought them to the Wigmore Hall, Paris Philharmonie, Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Konzerthaus, Saint-Petersburg Philharmonia and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. They have established a remarkable reputation for the quality of their musicianship in performance, gaining many plaudits. A review in Sddeutsche Zeitung places them as One of todays best quartets in the world...Balance, transparency, symphonic comprehension, confident style, their performance reached a very high and inspiring level . The quartet has also released 15 recordings, many of which have received international critical acclaim. But, at the heart of the quartets activities is their encouragement of younger performers through masterclasses and workshops, and their exploration of contemporary music. In the 100th anniversary of the birth of Gyrgy Kurtg the quartet will play two of his compositions for string quartet. The vivid 12 Microludes are complete works in miniature, exploring a variety of individual and ensemble techniques. Aus der ferne III is a concise piece of music, pared back to its essentials. Both reward concentration to experience the richness of sounds. The last quartet that Haydn completed, the Op.77 No.2, illustrates his mastery of the form in its effortless lyricism and verve. The concert concludes with the intense and dramatic Brahms Op.51 No.1 quartet. This will be an afternoon of sparkling chamber music, much to be anticipated. (Please Note: This is one of our occasional premium concerts for which the price of an individual ticket is 30.) Amaury Coeytaux (violin), Loc Rio (violin), Laurent Marfaing (viola), Franois Kieffer (cello) Through the support of generous sponsors, the Modigliani Quartet has the privilege of playing four magnificent Italian instruments. Amaury Coeytaux plays a 1715 violin by Antonio Stradivarius "Prince Lopold" Loc Rio plays a 1780 violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Laurent Marfaing plays a 1660 viola by Luigi Mariani, Franois Kieffer plays a 1706 cello by Matteo Goffriller. Photocredit Jrome Bonnet Programme Gyrgy Kurtg - 12 Microludes for String Quartet, Op.13, Hommage Andrs Mihly Haydn - String Quartet in F major, Op.77, No.2 Gyrgy Kurtg Aus der ferne III (From afar) for String Quartet ------ interval ------ Brahms - String Quartet No.1 in C minor, Op.51, No.1

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience. Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone. Performers String Quartet - Chaos Collective

Popular 5-piece band presents a vibrant Yuletide celebration in music and spoken word. Performers appear in period costume and their superb singing voice are matched by expert skills on an array of historic instruments. Lute, fiddle, hurdy gurdy, hammered dulcimer, nyckelharpa and shawm all complement the carols, seasonal ballads and dance tunes. Travel back in time to the tumultuous era of the Civil War and Restoration. Terrific entertainment! Brian Kay, BBC Radio 3

"Gibbons' affinity with Beethoven's music is such that he transcends mere recital; rather, he becomes one with the composer, absorbing his moods and passions, and recreating his bravura technique... This was an exhilarating tribute to a great master, enlivened by Gibbons's authoritative and entertaining commentary, and earning a well-deserved standing ovation." OXFORD TIMES

This is the first concert of theOxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Click here [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/] for details of the new season and discounted season ticket sales. Members of the Kamus quartet, founded in Helsinki in 2002, studied at the Sibelius Academy, the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), and the Britten Pears Academy in Aldeburgh, UK. This outstanding ensemble comes with a glowing international reputation not only for mastery of the classical string quartet repertoire but also for their exploration of contemporary works. Recently, they have toured Mexico, UK, Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands where they made a celebrated Concertgebouw debut in Amsterdam. Recordings from Kamus have gained wide plaudits and their live performances have been praised in the Helsingin Sanomat as perfectly blended [where] the brilliance of each individual shines through . Our season will open with a new composition, Flickereth , by Finnish composer Lotta Wennkoski, commissioned by the Kamus quartet. The three movements may evoke feelings of fluttering of the heart, flapping of sails, or flickering of light. Wennkoskis growing reputation has won her many commissions including from the Finnish RSO, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Danish String Quartet, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her works have been performed at the Carnegie Hall (NYC), the Walt Disney Hall (LA), and at the Last Night of the Proms in the Albert Hall (London). The concert will continue with Shostakovichs much-loved quartet No.8. The five movements are played without a break, and, despite its austere and melancholy mood, it has become a firm favourite of the repertoire. Seen by some as a deeply autobiographical work expressing the composers personal anguish, it resonates with contemporary audiences as a profound testament to humanitys ability to transcend extreme adversity. The final work today is the masterful five-movement quartet in D minor, Op.56 by Sibelius. Often spare and brooding, the notation Intimate Voices added by the composer to the Adagio suggests both the conversational quality of chamber music and the introspection that lies at the centre of this piece. The fierce driving finale will be a perfect ending to this Nordic-flavoured afternoon of exceptional music. Jukka Untamala (violin), Terhi Paldanius (violin), Jussi Tuhkanen (viola), Petja Kainulainen (cello) Photo credit 2024 : Maarit Kytharju Programme Lotta Wennkoski Flickereth (2023) Shostakovich - String Quartet No.8 in C minor, Op.110 ------ interval ------ Sibelius String Quartet in D minor, Op.56, Intimate voices

This is the fourth concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Click here [https://oxfordchambermusic.org/coming-season/preview-of-season-2025-2026/] for details of the full season. The Coull Quartet was formed in 1974 by students at the Royal Academy of Music and rapidly achieved recognition as one of Britains leading string quartets. They soon established themselves nationally and internationally, performing regularly in concerts and radio broadcasts in Britain, Western Europe and the USA, and touring India, China, South America and Australia. The Strad praised a performance in New York for . the groups precision, intonation and balance [which] defied criticism. This was a wonderful afternoon . Since the mid-1980s the Coull Quartet has made over 30 recordings featuring a wide selection of the repertoire closest to their hearts, from the complete Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets to 20th century and contemporary British chamber music. Their CD of quartets by Maw and Britten on the Somm label received universal acclaim; in addition to being featured in Editors Choice in The Gramophone , it was also described as the Benchmark Recording by BBC Music Magazine . They will open their concert with Haydns sparkling Op.74, No.1 quartet which is full of harmonic surprises and ending in a brilliant, energetic romp.The repressive background to Shostakovichs musical career in the Soviet Union is well-known, and its effect on the composition of his majestic 4th quartet is evident. His choice of folk idioms, especially Jewish ones, was a way for him to write politically acceptable yet deep and significant music.Todays concert is completed by Dvoks 9thquartet, a piece also containing fragments of lively folk dances yet one that is infused with wistfulness. This concert by the Coull Quartet promises to be another wonderful afternoon of chamber music at its best. Programme Haydn Quartet in C major, Op.74, No.1 Shostakovich Quartet No.4 in D major, Op.83 ------ interval ------ Dvok Quartet No.9 in D minor, Op.34 Roger Coull (violin),Philip Gallaway (violin),Jonathan Barritt (viola),Nicolas Roberts (cello) Photo credit Coull Quartet

This is the final concert of the Oxford Chamber Music Society [https://oxfordchambermusic.org]'s 2025-2026 season. Founded in 2010, the top-ranking Trio Gaspard is widely praised for its unique and fresh approach to the score. Its members, who hail from Germany, Greece and the UK, are successful soloists and continue to pursue their solo careers, giving recitals and performing concertos. They have performed in major UK and European venues including the Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Essen Philharmonie, and the Albert Hall for the BBC Proms. The Trio has won first prizes and special prizes at the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition in Weimar, the 5th International Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna and the 17th International Chamber Music Competition in Illzach, France. Their recordings of Haydns trios for Chandos have received widespread critical acclaim; The Strad magazine praised Volume 1, writing Its truly a delight, and leaves this listener hungry for more, while Gramophone remarked on their high levels of virtuosity and performative imagination . As well as exploring and championing the traditional piano trio repertoire, Trio Gaspard works regularly with contemporary composers. They have commissioned companion pieces to the Haydn trios one of which, by Finnish composer Olli Mustonen, opens our programme. Mustonen writes about his piece that it pays homage to the astonishing and mysterious modulation chains in Haydn's music, as well as to his boyish and endearing humour, which is so full of sunshine . Following Haydns own delightful trio, which weaves gypsy dance tunes into the classical sonata form, Trio Gaspard will perform a new piece commissioned from the Moldovan composer and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja. The Carnival atmosphere of Liszts Hungarian Rhapsody follows in which Liszt also sought to capture what he believed were authentic folk melodies often improvised by gypsy ensembles. The concert will conclude with Schuberts majestic first piano trio, described by Schumann as lyrical, sensuous, bright and nuanced '. This promises to be an exhilarating afternoon of the finest chamber music to end our season. Olli Mustonen - Introduzione e Allegro alla Polacca (2022) Haydn - Piano Trio No.39 in G major Hob XV:25 Gypsy Rondo Patricia Kopatchinskaja - Piano Trio (New Commission) Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No.9 in E Carnival in Pest Schubert - Piano Trio No.1 in B major Op.99 D898 Jonian Ilias Kadesha (violin), Vashti Hunter (cello), Nicholas Rimmer (piano) Photo credit 2024 : Andrej Grilc