Local school children are learning from the best classical musicians in the UK as part of a collaboration between Wigmore Hall in London and the Dartington Hall Trust which offers local people world-class Wigmore Hall concerts on their doorstep for the first time.
Devon classical music lovers can catch the final Dartington Schubert concert, by the Doric String Quartet, in the Great Hall Dartington on 7 March. Hailed as one the finest young string quartets of our time, the quartet – Alex Redington, Jonathan Stone, Helene Clement, John Myerscough – are described by string music magazine Strad as having ‘great wisdom and ... creativity of sound’ with performances that are ‘inventive, engaging, moving and beautiful’. They will perform Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, ‘Death and the Maiden’ D810 and Quartet No. 15 in G Major D887 at 7.30pm.
Meanwhile, the Heath Quartet, widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading young string quartets, will give Torbay primary school children an entertaining introduction to string quartet instruments at the String Quartet Discovery Day on 27 February, part of Wigmore Hall’s Chamber Challenge. After the concert, the children will meet the members of the quartet, try out string instruments, and tour the beautiful Dartington Hall gardens.
Ursula Crickmay, Director of Learning, Wigmore Hall says: ‘We are delighted to be able to bring Wigmore Hall concerts and learning out of London. Not only has the Chamber Challenge been able to bring classical music to a diverse group of children from Torbay primary schools, it has also been wonderful for musicians such as Imogen Cooper, the Gould Piano Trio, Henk Neven and now the Doric String Quartet to be able to play in such a well-respected and beautiful venue as the Great Hall in Dartington.’
‘It has been exciting to see the children – many of whom had never played in a concert before – quite literally rise to the challenge of this project. Right from the start they were full of ideas, and it is wonderful to see their creativity blossom, and their confidence build, especially when they start to work with the quartet who are able to realise their music for them, and with them.’
Richard Povall, Interim Director of The Arts at Dartington, said: ‘We’re thrilled to present our final Schubert concert in association with Wigmore Hall. It really is a unique opportunity for Devon classical music lovers to have the pleasure of watching world-class classical performers on our doorstep.’
Tickets range from £15 to £20. Contact Dartington’s Box Office on 01803 847070 (from 12.30 to 7.30pm), online at www.dartington/org/whats-on, or email boxoffice@dartington.org.
