The Oxford Chamber Music Society’s mission is to present the highest quality concerts in the historic surroundings of the Holywell Music Room. As a preview to our exciting programme of events for the November 2024 to May 2025 season, we are pleased announce the outstanding musicians who will be appearing next year.
Our inaugural concert of the new season on November 3rd will be performed by La Serenissima who are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. Renowned for the use of original sources in their exploration of the work of Vivaldi and his 18th century Venetian contemporaries, they have earned countless tributes. BBC Music Magazine called their performances ‘polished and invigorating’, while Gramophone found an ‘elegantly zesty joie de vivre’ in their recordings. The ensemble has become synonymous with virtuosity, dynamism, and accessibility and will be presenting a dazzling programme of rare and familiar Italian baroque music.
Ensemble Renard are a wind quintet formed from exceptional young musicians who regularly perform with the UK’s major orchestras. They champion new music, regularly commissioning works for wind quintet, as well as featuring composers such as Gershwin and Knussen. Each piece they play demonstrates the kaleidoscopic versatility of the ensemble, and most of their concerts feature works especially written or arranged for them. We anticipate a colourful and highly original programme at our 8th December concert.
The London based Eusebius Quartet was formed in 2016 and has since gained a reputation for imaginative performances possessing a ‘full-blooded yet flexible tone’ (BBC Music Magazine). The January 12th concert will include one of Haydn’s ‘Russian’ quartets and Beethoven’s triumphal Opus 135. They will also play Erich Korngold’s quartet No. 2 from their debut CD, which was released to widespread critical acclaim, being named as Recording of the Month by BBC Music Magazine in January 2022.
The Dudok Quartet from Amsterdam is forging a reputation as one of the most creative and versatile quartets of its generation. They regularly commission new works and their concert on February 16th will include a new piece from British-Lebanese composer Bushra El-Turk as well as Mozart’s ‘Spring’ quartet, K387 and Schubert’s ‘Death and the Maiden’ quartet.
Founded in 2010, Trio Gaspard has been widely praised for their unique and fresh approach to well-known classics and their work with contemporary composers. They have explored their discoveries with audiences at prestigious venues around the world. On March 16th they will share with us their curiosity for uncovering repertoire with pieces by Olli Mustonen and Patricia Kopatchinskaya, as well as giving performances of Haydn’s Opus 39 Trio, Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody, and Schubert’s radiant Piano Trio No. 1.
Formed in 1988, the Maggini Quartet is one of the finest British string quartets. They appear frequently in prestigious concert series at home and abroad and make regular media broadcasts. International tours have included the USA, Japan, South Korea, Dubai and many European countries. Renowned for their interpretations of British repertoire which they are committed to bringing to a worldwide audience, they will feature Frank Bridge’s lyrical and optimistic Quartet No. 2 in the April 13th concert.
This year the Nash Ensemble will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its founding in London. It became the resident chamber ensemble of the Wigmore Hall in 2010 and has toured extensively throughout the U.K., Europe, the USA, South America, Australia, and Japan. Acclaimed for its exceptional performances, the ensemble has won numerous accolades. In a superb finale to our season on May 18th, four of its outstanding musicians will perform Beethoven’s inventive Opus 11 Clarinet Trio; Stravinsky’s popular ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ suite for clarinet, violin and piano; the Fantasy, Variations, and Finale for piano, clarinet, violin, and cello by Ignaz Moscheles; and conclude with the mellow and profound Clarinet Trio Opus 114 of Brahms.
