63, Cambridge Street • London • SW1V 4PS
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The Barbirolli Quartet
String Quartet
The Barbirolli Quartet is known for its diverse, prolific repertoire and dynamic approach to performance, in particular its 'exhilarating performances of Janacek's String Quartets'.
Formed in 2003 at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the Barbirolli Quartet (formerly the Stillman Quartet) brings together a wealth of experience, its members each having performed widely in their native countries of Canada, Wales, Australia and New Zealand before coming to England to continue their studies. They are now based in London.
The quartet has a keen interest in performing new music and in January 2008 made their Purcell Room debut as Park Lane Group Artists to critical acclaim. They regularly work in conjunction with new composers, presenting an annual programme of contemporary quartets and as an extension of this work they visit local schools to workshop student compositions. Future performances include 'Folk Music' by Joe Cutler and a new work by Emily Hall commissioned in 2008 by HHH concerts in Surrey.
The Barbirolli Quartet was selected for the prestigious 2008 Countess of Munster Musical Trust Recital Scheme and are 2008 Tunnell Trust winners. Between 2004 and 2007 the quartet were the 'Young Artists in Residence' at the University of Salford, involving regular performances in the Tuesday Midday Recitals at Peel Hall, and were then invited to continue their involvement with the university as 'Quartet in Residence'.
Engagements in 08/09 include their Wigmore Hall debut (April 2008), The Chelsea Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, St David's Hall Cardiff, Harrogate International Festival, Manchester Mid-Day in Bridgewater Hall, St James's Piccadilly and St John’s, Smith Square. The Barbirolli Quartet has collaborated with eminent pianists in an ongoing cycle of Piano Quintets, covering the major romantic works of Dvorak, Brahms and Schumann and this season they will also be joined by David Campbell and Timothy Orpen for performances of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet. They also take up their recently awarded Artists Fellowship at London's Guildhall. Looking beyond 08/09, the quartet travel to New Zealand in November 09 where they join the panel of adjudicators for the Pettman/ROSL Arts International Scholarship and give a series of recitals.
The Barbirolli Quartet has been selected by the European Concert Halls Organisation (ECHO) for inclusion in the prestigious 'Rising Stars' series, following their nomination by the UK concert hall members of the ECHO organisation; this tour of Europe’s leading concert halls in 2009-2010 will take them to cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Barcelona, Athens, Stockholm and Salzburg and will include a recital at Birmingham Town Hall here in the UK.
Rakhi Singh (violin) is based in London and performs regularly with St. Martins-in-the-Fields, Ensemble Moderne and the Fine Arts Ensemble of Wales. Over the past year she has performed the Sibelius, Prokofiev and Kurt Weill concertos with orchestras in the UK and toured Italy with the Orchestra of the Toscanini Foundation performing the Beethoven concerto. She is the Winner of the Bryn Terfel Scholarship and in September commenced an Artists Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music studying with Jacqueline Ross.
Katie Stillman (violin) was chosen for the Tillett Trust’s Young Artists’ Platform in 2005 and in 2006 was awarded the Maisie Lewis Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. She was prize-winner at the International Stepping Stones Competition the same year. Recent engagements include a lunchtime recital for the Manchester Mid-day series at Bridgewater Hall, her Purcell Room debut as part of the Park Lane Group "Young Artists" New Year Series 2007, a concerto performance with the London Mozart Players and recitals at St. John’s Smith Square, St. James's Piccadilly, St George’s Bristol and Wigmore Hall. Katie is currently studying in Graz, Austria with Yair Kless as a Wingate Scholar.
Ella Brinch (viola) joined the CBSO in 2006, having freelanced with many major orchestras in the North. Before moving to England Ella played regularly with the Australian Opera and Ballet orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Ella has been in high demand, performing in the Maraini Quartet, the Epsilon Quartet and collaborating with artists such as Hugh McKenna and Nick Cox whilst studying at the RNCM. Since joining the CBSO she has performed with colleagues in the Centre Stage chamber music series as well as becoming a regular member of the Innovation Chamber Ensemble.
Victoria Simonsen (cello) regularly attends the IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music Sessions and performs recitals throughout the UK, collaborating with several brilliant young pianists. She was winner of the 2008 ROSL Music Competition's strings section and is a Solo Artist on the Countess of Munster's Recital Scheme. Other awards include the Countess of Munster's 'Star' Award, Barbirolli Cello Prize and the prestigious Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. On completion of her studies at the RNCM with Ralph Kirshbaum she was awarded the 2006 Gold Medal and Audience Prize. Victoria was Section Principal Cellist of the Orchestra of Opera North 2005-2007, before moving to London to further pursue her musical ambitions.
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