Brodsky Quartet celebrate their 50th anniversary with a complete cycle of Shostakovich’s String Quartets across one weekend, played in the intimacy of Hall One, interspersed with talks by Elizabeth Wilson and Marina Frolova-Walker.

‘From the start, we felt a particular pull towards the incredible music of Shostakovich, its often sparse textures nevertheless rich and layered, always surprising, emotional depth juxtaposing sarcasm, irony or genuine humour. Perhaps it spoke to our northern sensibilities, a kind of stoicism we identified with. We would eagerly await broadcasts of his new quartets, scribbling down the notes so we could have a go at playing them, the sheet music not yet available. Back then, it was only just beginning to enter our psyche, but we somehow knew it was here to stay. Now we can look back on a career celebrating the man and his music in countless performances worldwide, educational side-by-side projects with conservatoire students, and two award-winning recordings of the cycle. We look forward to celebrating with you!’

Jacqueline Thomas, Brodsky Quartet