Villiers Quartet
Biography Villiers Quartet
The Villiers Quartet
is one of the most charismatic and 'adventurous' quartets of the British chamber music scene (The Strad). Nothing is outside of the VQ's repertoire as they define the string quartet for the 21st century. Dedicated to the established works of Beethoven, Haydn, and Mendelssohn, they are also renowned for their interpretations of English composers including Elgar, Britten and Delius. Having toured across the UK and internationally, they have been declared 'one of the best young quartets around today' (Jerry Horner, Fine Arts Quartet), and their performances of Shostakovich and Tischenko have been hailed as 'masterful playing' (Classical Source).
They have been a featured quartet in numerous festivals including the North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, the Brit Jazz Fest, the English Music Festival, and the British Music Society. Known for championing the works of British composers, the VQ has been invited to present masterclasses on British music at Dartmouth College, Syracuse University, Goshen College, and the University of Nottingham. Their internationally acclaimed digital VQ New Works Competition encourages audiences to interact with contemporary music performance online, and supports the creation of new works for string quartet.
Named after Villiers Street in London's colourful musical epicentre, the Villiers Quartet encompasses the grand and iconic spirit of the extraordinary music tradition in London. Their debut CD for Naxos, The Complete Quartets of Robert Still, was praised for their 'sublimely articulate and concentrated readings' (Gramophone), and received 5-stars in Classical Music Magazine. In 2015, Somm Recordings releases their recording of Shostakovich and David Matthews piano quintets with pianist Martin Cousin, and they are the featured quartet on the soundtrack to the BBC television drama, Lady Chatterley's Lover. The Villiers Quartet are winners of the 2015 Radcliffe Chamber Music Competition and have been appointed Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Oxford for the period 2015-18.
