VILLIERS QUARTET

Biography​
The Villiers Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence at the Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building at Oxford University.
​
Named after Villiers Street in London, the Villiers Quartet encompasses the grand and iconic spirit of the extraordinary music tradition in Britain.
Hailed as “Champions of British Music” (The Observer), the Villiers Quartet has developed a reputation as exceptional interpreter of British composers. The VQ has released acclaimed recordings of works by Elgar, Delius, Peter Racine Fricker, William Sterndale Bennett, and David Matthews. The VQ has been praised for “exquisite ensemble playing” (Seen & Heard International), and their absolute “commitment and virtuosity” (The Sunday Times).

The Villiers Quartet performed live on BBC Radio 3 as part of the Leamington International String Quartet Series and it has also been featured on the radio programme In Tune and on live television as part The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One. The VQ was the featured quartet on the score to the BBC film Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
In addition to working at Oxford, the Villiers Quartet has presented masterclasses in the UK and abroad at Duke University, Dartmouth College, University of Nottingham, Syracuse University, Jacksonville University, and Indiana University South Bend. As an ambassador for British music, the VQ most recently completed a tour of California featuring the works of British composers Thea Musgrave, Alexander Goehr, Martyn Harry, Elizabeth Kelly, and Frederick Delius.
The broad curiosity of the Villiers Quartet and its passion for teaching and performing have made the VQ a valuable resource for students and audiences alike. Inspiration comes from the heart of the Villiers Quartet’s philosophy: to believe in the art of string quartet.
News​
VILLIERS QUARTET
at the GLOUCESTER MUSIC SOCIETY
Alwyn - String Quartet no 1 in D minor
Whettam - Hymnos Quartet
Parry - String Quartet no 3 in G major
​1st DEC 2019
VILLIERS QUARTET
performs Parry's String Quartet No. 3 and Payne's String Quartet No. 3 at Wells Maltings in Wells-next-the-Sea
​17th Nov 2019
VILLIERS QUARTET
performs Stravinsky's Three Pieces for String Quartet, Borodin's String Quartet No. 2, and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 3, at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building in Oxford
16th Nov 2019
VILLIERS QUARTET
debut Alexander Goehr's new 5th String Quartet at the Swaledale Festival on June 7th, along with pieces by Mozart and Dvorak, and then perform it at St Hilda's College on June 8th, along with Martyn Harry's Borderline
Watch the Villiers Quartet play Ethel Smyth's String Quartet in E minor for Classic FM here
VILLIERS QUARTET: Portrait of a Friendship at St John's Smith Square
Bennett - String Quartet in G
Mendelssohn - String Quartet in A minor Op. 13
Smyth - String Quartet in E minor
3rd March 2019
​more...

Villiers Quartet live at St John's Smith Square, London, 23rd September 2018 (details)

A new Villiers Quartet CD, Chamber Works of Sterndale Bennett, due for release in October 2018 (more)

Contact

Andrew Logan | Director
info@loganartsmanagement.com
T : +44 (0) 141 404 7444

Videos

Discography
William Alwyn
Early String Quartets No.6,7,8,9
Lyrita“conspicuously sensitive performances that respond to every facet of the composer’s writing -MusicWeb Intermnational”
March 08, 2020
 William Sterndale Bennett (2018, Naxos)
- Sextet in F sharp minor (Leon Bosch, Jeremy Young)
- Chamber Trio (Jeremy Young​)
- String Quartet in G
"...these delightful scores could have no better advocates." - MusicWeb International
Delius & Elgar (2017, Naxos) ​
- Delius String Quartet
- Elgar String Quartet
"A first class performance" - Luister (Netherlands)
Reviews
William Sterndale Bennett
- "The Villiers play with admirable warmth..." (Gramophone)
- "Cellist Nick Stringfellow applies some lovely legato con portamento in the first movement..." (Gramophone)
- "These ambitious chamber works ... get sympathetic, well-considered treatment here from the Villiers Quartet..." (AllMusic)

Delius & Elgar
- "...moments of supreme radiance..." (Europadisc)
- "...playing of exquisite beauty..." (Yorkshire Post)
- "...exquisitely balanced chamber music..." (Rondo Magazine (Germany))
- "...beautiful, homogenous sound..."(Record of the Week in BR Klassik (Germany))

Fricker
- "...superb throughout..." (The Observer)
- "...compelling, challenging and deeply satisfying British music..." (The Strad)

Lake District Summer Music Review
- "...a polished performance ... full of energy and melodic charm..." (The Westmorland Gazette)