Cassia String Quartet

The Cassia String Quartet, formed in 2010, was born out of a passion for the string quartet repertoire. Recipients of the 2013 Musiciens Entre Guerre et Paix Award from the International Académie Ravel they were also recently awarded the Musicales prize from the RNCM. They were finalists in the Trinity Laban Intercollegiate Competition and winners of the 2013 Nossek String Quartet Prize. The current resident string quartet with the Arts@Trinity programme in Leeds the Cassia have given concerts as part of the Salisbury International Arts Festival, Lake District Summer Music, RNCM Chamber Music and Grassington festivals, as well as the Leeds International Concert Series. Currently studying with Oliver Wille and Robin Ireland at Birmingham Conservatoire they were previously mentored by Peter Cropper (Lindsay Quartet). Over the years they have also received coaching from the Endellion, Brodsky, Kuss, Henschel and Alban Berg Quartets as well as Pavel Fischer, Christoph Richter and Susie Mészáros. They have performed in masterclasses with the Škampa Quartet, James Boyd, Levon Chilingirian and with Richard Ireland in conjunction with ChamberStudio. The quartet commissioned and premiered a quartet by the composer Aaron Parker and were honoured to play in the Wigmore Hall as part of the Simon Bainbridge Study Day. Other collaborations include working and performing alongside the clarinettist Nicholas Cox, pianist Sally Halsey and the Ely Sinfonia. In addition to regular concerts across England the Cassia enjoy taking on more mainstream projects and have collaborated with Joe Duddell to perform with the likes of Daughter, members of New Order, Chas Smash (Madness), Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) and Mancunian poet Mike Garry. As an ensemble the Cassia have led workshops as the resident string quartet for the South West Youth Orchestra and for the Lycée Maurice Ravel School (Saint Jean de Luz). They are also keen to support local projects, recently hosting an event to promote the restoration of Manchester's Christ Church clock tower.