In 2011 something extraordinary happened in our city. For many years up to 200 people turned up on six Sunday mornings each winter for a concert in the Old Market in Hove, later at St Nicholas, Brighton. The performers were almost entirely string quartets, usually of world-class standard. Then, for financial reasons, the whole thing folded. Instead of bemoaning the loss, a group of audience members decided the concerts were too important to lose, formed an association, called it Strings Attached, and approached Andrew Comben at Brighton Dome and Festival with the idea that, if he would provide the venue, Strings Attached would provide the audience. He said he would and agreed to engage the players too. For three seasons now, hugely successful concerts have been held in the Corn Exchange during the winter months on six Sunday mornings each year. Now, for the first time, Strings Attached is putting on a concert itself, and returning to its roots at The Old Market, with one of the most sought-after young string quartets around, the Cavaleri Quartet (pictured). And it’s celebrating its local nature by programming music by composers associated with our city – Vaughan Williams, Frank Bridge and Jonathan Harvey.
Vaughan Williams went to school in Rottingdean, was married at All Saints, Hove, and was President of the Brighton and Hove Philharmonic Society. Frank Bridge was born here. And Jonathan Harvey was a much loved Professor of Music at the University of Sussex and wrote some of the most austere, sparse music for string quartet you will ever hear.
You don’t have to join Strings Attached to come, but obviously it helps the cause if you do. See www.stringsattachedmusic.org.uk.
Whether you join or not, come to the concert and save the following dates for the 2014/15 Corn Exchange series.
Sun 26 Oct Sun 16 Nov Sun 14 Dec
Borromini Quartet Calefax Apollon Musagete Quartet
Sun 18 Jan Sun 22 Feb Sun 15 Mar
Heath Quartet Britten Oboe Quartet Students of the RCM
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