The Passionate Quartet: Love, loss and longing – St Peter’s Church, Sudbury

Description

Ludwig van Beethoven Romeo & Juliet Quartet (Op 18/1)
Philip Glass Quartet No. 3 – Mishima (film soundtrack)
Leos Janacek Quartet no 1 – The Kreutzer Sonata

Simon Blendis violin
Matthew Ward violin
Meghan Cassidy viola
Orlando Jopling cello

Following their sold-out final concert last year in the train shed in Bures, our artistic director Orlando Jopling teams up with the same exceptional musicians Simon Blendis, Matthew Ward and Meghan Cassidy to bring you three passionate, beguiling and varied quartets by Beethoven, Janacek and Glass. The performers will introduce the music and the fascinating narrative behind each one, bound up with the composers’ own remarkable life stories.

Simon Blendis enjoys an international career as a chamber musician, soloist and orchestra leader. Current roles include Concertmaster of the London Mozart Players, and of the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan. He is Professor of Violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Matthew Ward has worked with a diverse mix of artists, groups and orchestras crossing genres from classical to Palestinian, blues and jazz. He is a member of The Academy of St Martin in the Fields and regularly appears as an orchestral Guest Principal with several other orchestras.

Meghan Cassidy is a versatile chamber musician who has performed with numerous groups at festivals and event throughout Europe. She also appears as Guest Principal Viola with major British orchestras.

Orlando Jopling is Associate Conductor of English National Ballet, conducting performances at the Coliseum, Sadler’s Wells, Royal Albert Hall and on tour in the UK and abroad. Guest appearances include concerts and recordings with the English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Irish Chamber Orchestra and Sinfonia Viva, and music staff, vocal coach and assistant conductor roles at the Royal Opera House, Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera, and the LSO.