A bravely engaging disc
Planet Hugill, Robert Hugill
The Four Quarters
Orchid Classics, ORC100172
Passion and precision in a collagist album of constant compulsion
La Scena Musicale, Norman Lebrecht
Solem Quartet featured artists at Vale of Glamorgan Festival
In their role as ‘Featured Artists’, the Solem Quartet will give two prominent concerts at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival in Cardiff. Their concerts will take place on 13 and 14 September, and will feature several works by Pēteris Vasks,…
Solem Quartet on BBC Radio 3 ‘In Tune’
The Solem Quartet will feature live on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ on Wednesday 15 September. From just after 5pm, Sean Rafferty will chat to the players about their upcoming debut CD ‘The Four Quarters’, which will be released on…
Solem Quartet debut disc ‘The Four Quarters’: pre-order now!
The Solem Quartet’s debut CD ‘The Four Quarters’ is available to pre-order from today! Released on the Orchid Classics label, the disc is built around music by Thomas Adès and also includes several arrangements by the Quartet members themselves. Click here to read…
Mark Simpson and Simon Holt Clarinet Quintet
Solem Quartet and Mark Simpson (clarinet)
This collaboration can be booked either through Tashmina Artists (Solem Quartet) or Intermusica (Mark Simpson)
This collaboration can be booked either through Tashmina Artists (Solem Quartet) or Intermusica (Mark Simpson)
| This collaboration can be booked either through Tashmina Artists (Solem Quartet) or Intermusica (Mark Simpson) |
| Short Programme without interval: |
| Mark Simpson - Darkness Moves |
| Bela Bartók - String Quartet no. 1 |
| Simon Holt – Clarinet Quintet, Burlesca Oscura |
| Full length concert with interval (order of play to be agreed): |
| Simon Holt - Burlesca Oscura |
| Mark Simpson - Darkness Moves |
| Cassandra Miller – Warblework OR Jasmine Morris - Hitogata for string quartet and electronics |
| Interval |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet in C sharp minor, op. 131 OR Johannes Brahms - Clarinet Quintet in B minor, op. 115 OR Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 |
Three Romances
Solem Quartet
| Clara Schumann, arr. Amy Tress - Three Romances for violin and piano, op.22 |
| Bela Bartók - String Quartet no. 1 |
| Interval |
| Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet no. 5 in E flat major, op. 44, no. 3 |
BBN 6: Coda
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| Bushra El-Turk - New Work |
| Bela Bartók - Quartet no. 6, BB 119 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet no. 16 in F major, op. 135 |
BBN 5: Life Episodes
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| Edmund Finnis - New Work |
| Bela Bartók - Quartet no. 2, op. 17, BB 75 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet in A minor, op. 132 |
BBN 4: Experiments
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| Ayanna Witter-Johnson - New Work |
| Bela Bartók - Quartet no. 3, BB 93 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet in B flat major, op. 133, Grosse Fugue |
BBN 3: Pioneers
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| David John Roche - New Work |
| Bela Bartók - String Quartet no. 1 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet in C sharp minor, op. 131 |
BBN 2: Song & Dance
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| Jasmine Morris - Hitogata for string quartet and electronics |
| Bela Bartók - Quartet no. 4, BB 95 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet no. 12 in E flat major, op. 127 |
BBN 1: Night Music
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| Aaron Parker - tuóretu |
| Bela Bartók - Quartet no. 5, BB 110 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet no. 13 in B flat major, op. 130 |
‘Night Music’: Solem Quartet in first live BBN concert
The Solem Quartet looks forward to presenting the first live concert as part of their groundbreaking series Beethoven Bartók Now (BBN). Join the Quartet on Thursday 1st July at St Giles' Church, Camberwell, to enjoy BBN Part I: Night Music, featuring new work…
Solem Quartet to give UK premiere at V&A Museum
On Sunday 27th June, the Solem Quartet will perform twice at the V&A Museum as part of the weekend-long series of Glastonbury Pastoral Concerts. The Quartet will appear at 11am and 1pm on Sunday, performing Cassandra Miller’s Warblework as well as…
A finely judged performance
Seen and Heard International, Mark Berry
Crosscurrents
Solem Quartet and Mariam Adam (clarinet)
| Betsy Jolas - Quatuor VI, 'avec clarinette' |
| Jasmine Morris - Hitogata for string quartet and electronics |
| Valerie Coleman - Shotgun Houses |
| The above programme is for a short concert without an interval. For a full-length recital, the following could be added: |
| Cassandra Miller – Warblework |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet no. 12 in E flat major, op. 127 OR Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet in C sharp minor, op. 131 |
Solem Quartet back under the Spotlight
The Solem Quartet will be joined by four friends to perform Schubert’s largest-scale chamber work as part of Spotlight Chamber Concerts in London. Having featured in the inaugural Spotlight Chamber Concerts series at the end of last year, the Quartet returns…
Solem Quartet announced awardee of Live Work Fund
The Solem Quartet has been announced as an awardee of the Live Work Fund, one of 33 artists selected from more than 1200 applicants. The Live Work Fund is a new initiative launched in collaboration by Jerwood Arts, The Wolfson…
Solem Quartet and Anthony Friend Live Concert Stream from Conway Hall
This Sunday, 21st February, the Solem Quartet and clarinettist Anthony Friend perform a programme which is full of variety and colour. In addition to the ever-popular Brahms Clarinet Quintet, you will be able to hear music by Vasks, Bartók, Schumann…
World premieres with the Solem Quartet at Bangor Music Festival
The Solem Quartet look forward to their concert of world premieres for Bangor Music Festival in North Wales, which will be streamed online on Friday 12 March. The Festival, which has taken place annually since 2000, is particularly focused on contemporary music,…
Solem Quartet seeks composer to write for BBN: Pioneers
The award-winning Solem Quartet is looking for a composer to write an ambitious new work for Beethoven Bartók Now: Pioneers, to take place in Spring 2022. The winner of the competition, launched this week, will receive a prize of £1500 and they…
‘Writing for Quartet’ workshop with the Solem Quartet
The Solem Quartet will host their first digital ‘Writing for Quartet’ workshop at 6:00pm on Thursday 28th January, as part of their ambitious Beethoven Bartók Now project. The workshop will offer an opportunity for composers of all ages, levels and backgrounds…
They made the complexities of Beethoven’s counterpoint seem easy
Planet Hugill, Robert Hugill
Beethoven Bartók Now
The Solem Quartet is excited to present its new Solem Lates project, Beethoven Bartók Now, an ambitious six-part series running from December 2020 until March 2023. Beethoven Bartók Now will see the Solem Quartet collaborate with leading young composers of today…
Solem Quartet on BBC Radio 3 ‘In Tune’ on Wednesday
The members of the quartet look forward to performing works by Beethoven, Price and Adès live on air, in between chatting with Sean Rafferty
Solem Quartet under a Spotlight
The Solem Quartet looks forward to performing as part of Spotlight Chamber Concerts in December at St John's Church, Waterloo. Spotlight Chamber Concerts is jointly presented by Bandstand Chamber Festival and St John's Waterloo, and will take place from 28th…
Solem Quartet to perform Beethoven at Wimbledon International Music Festival 2020
The Solem Quartet will be part of a world-class line-up at this year's Wimbledon International Music Festival, which takes place online in November. This year, the festival will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, and will focus closely…
Cultured tone … top-quality musicians
The Arts Desk, David Nice
Players’ performances had an edge and vitality…highly thoughtful performances
Planet Hugill, Robert Hugill (★★★★)
Brahms on the Battersea Bandstand
On Thursday 10th September, the Solem Quartet is joined by festival Artistic Director and Clarinettist Anthony Friend to perform the glorious Brahms Quintet, as part of the inaugural Bandstand Chamber Festival.
Stratford Music Festival to feature three Tashmina Artists
Booking opens soon for this year's edition, which will include concerts by three artists on the Tashmina Artists roster
Publicity Images
High resolution versions are available for download for all the images below. Please click on an image to download, or use the link in the caption.
Journeys in Folk and Form
Solem Quartet
Read the introduction to this programme...
| Florence Price - Five Folksongs in Counterpoint |
| Bela Bartók - String Quartet no. 1 |
| Interval |
| Ludwig van Beethoven - Quartet in C sharp minor, op. 131 |
Important announcement from the Solem Quartet
News from the Solem Quartet: "drumroll please ... we are really happy to announce that Stephen Upshaw has joined the quartet as our new violist!" Some of you have already met and heard Stephen, but for those that haven’t –…
Mature ensemble playing … well-structured and perfectly voiced
Bishop's Stortford Independent, Colin Smithers
Excellent ensemble and natural musicianship … a performance of high quality
Carlisle Music Society, John Upson
The live score experience – video
The Solem Quartet play The Lobster score live @CrouchEndPH tomorrow night (Weds 18th Dec). The live score experience is providing a new, exciting phenomenon for cinema going, enhancing both the artistry and importance of the soundtrack. Book now: https://t.co/ULr8m7A2Ns pic.twitter.com/Grm4uPcvhS…
Solem Lates presents: The Lobster
The Solem Quartet is collaborating with Picturehouse Cinemas to screen Yorgos Lanthimos's film 'The Lobster' with live music, as part of the Solem Lates series. The Quartet has produced an arrangement of the film's quirky soundtrack for string quartet and piano,…
Dedication and aplomb
Inverurie Music, A. Massey
Solem Quartet invited to extend Liverpool University residency
Having been Ensemble in Residence at the University of Liverpool's Department of Music for the last three years, the Solem Quartet has been invited to extend its highly successful residency for a further three years.
Solem Quartet on BBC Radio Scotland at start of Scottish tour
The Solem Quartet will be performing live on BBC Radio Scotland on Sunday 22nd September, just before they begin their week-long tour of the country. They will perform five concerts over the course of the week, including a lunchtime recital…
Biography and Quotes
Please click here to download the Word document, containing quotes and biography for early publicity full length biography for concert programmes
I have no doubt that the future of classical music is safe…
The Yorkshire Times, Elaine Annable Winner of the 2014 Royal Over-Seas League Ensemble Competition, the Solem Quartet was formed in 2011 at the University of Manchester. Taking its name from the university’s motto “arduus ad solem”, meaning “striving towards the…
Solem Quartet at the Harrogate International Festival
The Solem Quartet looks forward to visiting Yorkshire on the 4th July to give a concert at the Harrogate International Festival. Their performance will take place at 11am on the 4th July at St Wilfrid's Church, Harrogate's largest church and…
A Night of Music for String Quartet and Electronics
On the 2nd May, in the first of a new series, Solem Lates, the Solem Quartet presents 'batózeyal': a night of music for string quartet and electronics.
Solem Quartet Offers Education Work in Schools and Universities
The Solem Quartet is committed to taking its music to as wide an audience as possible, and especially to young people. Each member of the group is an experienced teacher and as a quartet they have performed and collaborated with…
The Solem Quartet plays Richard Blackford
February 2019 saw the release of a CD on the Nimbus label of music by Richard Blackford, prominently featuring the Solem Quartet. The first work on the disc, Seven Hokusai Miniatures, was written for the quartet in 2018 and is offered among their current programme proposals.
Videos: Blazing Beethoven and Bartók from Solem Quartet
Those who were lucky enough to hear the fabulous Solem Quartet perform at Wigmore Hall last July will remember their sizzling account of Bartók's Quartet no. 4. Nothing can replace being in the concert hall as a member of the audience,…
Heartfelt brio and winningly understated virtuosity
Scunthorpe Concert Society, Clive Davies
Rawsthorne CD is MusicWeb International Recording of the Month
"The Solem String Quartet play with clarity and commitment in the String Quartet"
Important diary date: Solem Quartet at Wigmore Hall on 16th July
The fabulous Solem Quartet perform at Wigmore Hall on 16th July, as part of the venue's Monday Platform Series in a concert hosted by the prestigious Park Lane Group.
Tashmina Artists welcomes Solem Quartet
Please do look out for this award-winning, vibrant string quartet and if you would like to hear them in concert, please see their forthcoming engagements here. Building on their many successes to date, and the high regard in which they are already held, they have a fantastic, long career ahead of them; we are very excited to be able to work with them. The members of the quartet are Amy Tress and William Newell (violins), Alistair Vennart (viola) and Stephanie Tress (cello).
Videos
Please find below a small selection of videos. Please also see the Solem Quartet's YouTube channel.
Solem Quartet
Praised for their “cultured tone” (Arts Desk), the Solem Quartet has established itself as one of the most innovative and adventurous quartets of its generation. A 2020 awardee of the Jerwood Arts Live Work Fund, one of 33 artists selected…