Take two talented BBT cellists, add a dynamic violinist and what do you get? A three-movement work composed by Raphaël Merlin, a musical polymath best known as cellist of Quatuor Ebène (2008 BBT award winner), commissioned by enterprising cellist Nicolas Altstaedt (2009 BBT Fellowship) and chamber music partner Pekka Kuusisto. World premiere is at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam on 20 November with several more performances planned for the near future.
No fewer than ten promoters, the length and breadth of Britain, have engaged the intrepid Elias String Quartet to perform the complete cycle of Beethoven quartets over the coming seasons. After 18 months of study and preparation – generously shared on its dedicated website – the Quartet is poised to begin the next stage of its journey and talks frankly to renowned music journalist and broadcaster Edward Seckerson about their passion for the eternal mystery and genius of Beethoven. The first tour of six concerts starts on 23 November at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre. “ You can really lose yourself with Beethoven – forget where you are and who you are. It does take you somewhere really remote …” (Marie Bitlloch, Elias String Quartet)