• The Carducci String Quartet

    The Carducci String Quartet

  • Emma Denton, cello

    Emma Denton, cello

  • Matt Denton, violin

    Matt Denton, violin

  • Michelle Fleming, violin

    Michelle Fleming, violin

  • Eoin Schmidt-Martin, viola

    Eoin Schmidt-Martin, viola

  • The Carducci String Quartet

    The Carducci String Quartet

  • Hannah Dienes-Williams, soprano

    Hannah Dienes-Williams, soprano

  • Hannah Dienes-Williams, soprano

    Hannah Dienes-Williams, soprano

  • Third Quarter picnics at Summer at Breinton

    Third Quarter picnics at Summer at Breinton

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Photographs courtesy of David Hogg of Horizon Imaging, © 2020

 

Our outdoor concert adventure continues! These strange times caused by the pandemic have turned the world upside down and brought much distress to many people, but organising outdoor COVID-secure events helped us achieve the previously impossible – to invite a string quartet, for the first time in 11 years.

Our dream combination of two violins, viola and cello was presented by the Carducci String Quartet who not only showed their bubbling energy and glorious harmony, but their undisputable togetherness, full-bodied sound making and expression, and brilliant projection. Their programme featured Beethoven’s Serioso, so dark and dynamic, and Dvorak’s American; the contrast of personalities was striking.

The Quartet was preceded by Guildford music student and soprano, Hannah Dienes-Williams. Today’s event would not have been complete without her! She delighted the audience with varied songs, including Mozart’s Arias from the Marriage of Figaro, Faure’s Apres un Reve, and Mein Herr Marquis by Johann Strauss. What a life-full of performance. What a thrilling voice.

The British weather switches from one extreme to another. Rain and cold threatened the first two concerts, while this time it was extremely hot! Nevertheless, we were delighted to see the record number of attendees. We are grateful for everyone’s support and enthusiasm.

Anna Fedorova

Described by The Strad as presenting “a masterclass in unanimity of musical purpose, in which severity could melt seamlessly into charm, and drama into geniality”, the award-winning Carducci Quartet is internationally acclaimed as one of the most accomplished and versatile ensembles of today. Not only mastering the core repertoire, the quartet presents a selection of new works each season and diversifies further with programmes of film music, pop and rock.

Founded in 1997, the ensemble has won numerous international competitions, including the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, and First Prize at Finland’s Kuhmo International Chamber Music Competition. In 2016, they took home a Royal Philharmonic Society Award for their project, Shostakovich15, an immense cycle of Shostakovich’s Quartets performed across the UK, North, and South America with a marathon one-day cycle hosted by Shakespeare’s Globe, London.


Anna Fedorova

Hannah Dienes-Williams is an 18 year old soprano, studying with Gary Coward. She was a Chorister in Guildford Cathedral Choir from the age of 9, serving as its Head Chorister from 2017-18. In the choir, she featured regularly as a soloist in services and concerts as well as on two live broadcasts. She was selected as a finalist for the BBC Radio 2 Chorister of the Year competition in 2016 and 2017, and features as a soprano soloist on Rebecca Dale’s Decca album, Materna Requiem. Hannah is a frequent recitalist, soloist with local choral societies, and a member of the Rodolfus Choir.


Music on arrival 

  • Hannah Dienes-Williams, soprano
  • Katherine Dienes-Williams, piano

  • Rejoice Greatly – Handel, Messiah
  • Deh vieni non tardar & Non so piu cosa son cosa faccio – Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro
  • Après un rêve & En Sourdine – Fauré
  • Violon – Poulenc
  • Sure on this shining night – Barber
  • Allerseelen – Richard Strauss
  • Mein Herr Marquis – Johann Strauss, Die Fledermaus

Main performance 

  • Carducci String Quartet

  • Beethoven:  String Quartet in F minor 'Serioso', Op 95
  • Dvořák:  String Quartet No.12 in F major 'American', Op.96