25 November 2023
Concert Programme
Mozart: String Quartet No.19 in C major K465 “Dissonance”
Beethoven: String Quartet Op.18 No.3 in D major
Interval
Dvorak: String Quartet in F major Op.96 “American”
Beethoven: String Quartet Op.18 No.3 in D major
Interval
Dvorak: String Quartet in F major Op.96 “American”
This Concert is in memory of Alan Smyth.
Concert Sponsors: Shirley Rush, Gill Smyth, and Samphire Restaurant
Concert Sponsors: Shirley Rush, Gill Smyth, and Samphire Restaurant
Maggini String Quartet
Formed in 1988, the Maggini Quartet is one of the finest British string quartets. Its acclaimed recordings have won international awards including Gramophone Chamber Music Award of the Year, Diapason d’Or of the Year and a Cannes Classical Award, and have twice been nominated for Grammy Awards. The Quartet has recorded the complete Mendelssohn quartet cycle for Meridian Records and their CD of two of the opus 18 string quartets by Beethoven is now available, also on Meridian. Recent projects for the label have been recordings of the string quartets of Welsh composer Arwel Hughes, a disc of music by Jonathan Rutherford and another of Mozart’s ‘Hunt’ and ‘Dissonance’ quartets.
The Maggini Quartet’s commitment to new music has led to important commissions including works by James MacMillan, Robert Simpson, Eleanor Alberga and Roxanna Panufnik. Their unique collaboration with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, performing and recording his ten ‘Naxos Quartets’, was hailed as “a 21st century landmark”.
The Maggini Quartet appears frequently in prestigious concert series at home and abroad and makes regular media broadcasts. International tours have included the USA, Japan, South Korea, Dubai and many European countries. Their regular schedule includes two annual visits to Norway.
The Magginis are renowned for their interpretations of British repertoire and The Glory of the English String Quartet continues to be an important ongoing initiative, drawing upon the wonderful repertoire which the Quartet is committed to bringing to a worldwide audience.
In addition to their concert activity, the members of the Quartet have an international reputation as chamber music coaches. They hold several UK residencies and have worked at the UK’s senior music institutions.
The Maggini Quartet’s commitment to new music has led to important commissions including works by James MacMillan, Robert Simpson, Eleanor Alberga and Roxanna Panufnik. Their unique collaboration with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, performing and recording his ten ‘Naxos Quartets’, was hailed as “a 21st century landmark”.
The Maggini Quartet appears frequently in prestigious concert series at home and abroad and makes regular media broadcasts. International tours have included the USA, Japan, South Korea, Dubai and many European countries. Their regular schedule includes two annual visits to Norway.
The Magginis are renowned for their interpretations of British repertoire and The Glory of the English String Quartet continues to be an important ongoing initiative, drawing upon the wonderful repertoire which the Quartet is committed to bringing to a worldwide audience.
In addition to their concert activity, the members of the Quartet have an international reputation as chamber music coaches. They hold several UK residencies and have worked at the UK’s senior music institutions.
Julian Leaper - Violin
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In 1978 Julian won a Junior Exhibition Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where he studied Violin with Emanuel Hurwitz and Piano as joint first study with Hamish Milne. He was awarded several prizes for solo performance and chamber music including the prestigious Gerard Heller award for which he won first prize for Quartet playing.
In 1982 he continued his studies with Alberto Lysy at the Yehudi Menuhin Academy Gstaad and Tomatada Soh and Kenneth Sillitoe in London. He made his London debut performing a programme of British music at the Purcell Room. He has since performed as leader and soloist with many British orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, and the New London Orchestra. He has worked regularly with all the major chamber Orchestras and ensembles including the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, English Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, London Mozart Players and the Orchestra of St John’s Smith Square. |
Ciaran McCabe - Violin
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Ciaran enjoys a varied musical life as soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Recent solo engagements include the concerti of Bruch, Dvorak, Mendelssohn and Barber with ensembles such as the Ulster Orchestra and Orpheus Sinfonia and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London with the Brandenburg Sinfonia. He was a recipient of the Milton Violin Award and the Young Artists’ Platform Award from the Arts Council of N.Ireland, which included a BBC studio recording of virtuoso Violin works.
He was a founding member of the Cavaleri Quartet, with whom he performed in major venues such as the Musikverein, Vienna, Rachmaninov Hall, Moscow, Auditorio Nacional, Madrid, Wigmore Hall, London and throughout New Zealand and Australia. They were First Prize winners at the 2012 Hamburg International Chamber Music Competition, Second Prize winners at the 2014 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and in 2011 won the Royal Over-Seas League Competition. |
Martin Outram - Viola
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Since studying at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music with John White, Martin Outram has enjoyed a wide ranging career as quartet player, soloist and teacher.
In addition to his work with the Maggini Quartet, Martin appears frequently as a soloist. His repertoire embraces the major works for Viola. His programmes often include rarely heard pieces, particularly by British composers, and several works have been written for him, including concertos by Adam Gorb and David Gow. Since making his Royal Festival Hall concerto debut with the London Mozart Players, notable solo appearances have included the broadcast premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ Strathclyde Concerto No.5 with the composer conducting. Martin gave the first concert performance of Britten’s Portrait No.2 in London and on tour with Martyn Brabbins and Sinfonia 21 in Russia. |
Michal Kaznowski - Cello
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In 1979 when Michal Kaznowski took up the post of principal cello in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra working with Simon Rattle, he was then the youngest principal cello in the country to accept such a senior position. Performing various concertos with the orchestra including a BBC broadcast Don Quixote, he shared the early development of the orchestra as Simon Rattle turned it into one of the UK’s leading orchestras.
This followed on from being principal cello of the Sadlers Wells Royal ballet and associate principal position in the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra. Since leaving the CBSO in 1983 for what became the Maggini quartet, he has been principal cello of the extensively recorded New London Orchestra. He is in demand as a principal and guest principal cello for many of the leading freelance orchestras in London and the provinces including the CBSO and Birmingham Royal Ballet. |
Maggini String Quartet
Beethoven String Quartet No.1 in F major, Op.18, No. 1: I. Allegro con brio |
Peter Maxwell Davies Quartets Nos, 9 and 10, 1. Allegro |
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