Photo ©Tony Ward
YMF 2003, 2005
Photo ©Tony Ward
THE SACCONI STRING QUARTET was formed at London's Royal College of Music in 2001 where it won a number of prizes, including the prestigious Gerard Heller and Rosemary Rapaport string quartet prize (held for all UK conservatoires) and - twice - the Helen Just and Susan Connell string chamber music prize at the Royal College of Music. Having recently made both Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room debuts, as well as giving performances as part of the Tillett Trust Young Artists' Platform scheme, the Sacconi is now acknowledged to be one of the finest young string quartets in the country.
The quartet pursues a busy schedule of concerts throughout the UK and Europe, with a concert diary that, at the time of going to press, already extends well into 2006 They have performed both the Mendelssohn Octet and the Schubert Quintet with members of the world-renowned Chilingirian Quartet, to great acclaim and, for two years running, have appeared in the Lake District Summer Music festival, where they were assistant coaches to the Chilingirian Quartet.
During 2004 the quartet gave two world premieres: a clarinet quintet by Roderick Watkins, performed with clarinettist David Campbell, and a string quartet, Iridescence, by Max Charles Davies. The quartet also took part in the International Musicians' Seminar at Prussia Cove, where they studied with Gabor Takacs-Nagy. The members of the quartet have a keen interest in education work, giving recitals in London schools in collaboration with the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust and also make regular visits to schools, hospitals and other community venues on behalf of Live Music Now! and the Wigmore Hall.
The name 'Sacconi' comes from the outstanding twentieth-century Italian violin maker and restorer, Simone Sacconi, whose book The Secrets of Stradivari is considered an indispensable reference for violin makers.
Audiences at the Young Musicians' Festival first heard the quartet perform, as students, at the 10th Festival in 2003.
Photo ©Tony Ward
BEN HANCOX has played the violin since the age of four, studying with Serguei Fatkouline in Madrid and Bonn, and with Felix Andrievsky at the Royal College of Music. At the RCM, Ben won the Helen Just violin prize and the Jacqueline Ward Memorial Prize for strings. He has a first class honours degree and was awarded a distinction in his postgraduate diploma in performance. During his undergraduate studies, Ben received the prestigious Emily English Scholarship from the Musician's Benevolent Fund and his postgraduate studies were supported by a scholarship from the Associated Board. Ben has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician in this country and abroad. He has performed concertos with the Kent Sinfonia, Maidstone Symphony Orchestra, Oare String Orchestra, Kent County Youth Orchestra and Dulwich Symphony Orchestra.
Photo ©Tony Ward
HANNAH DAWSON (violin) studied at the Royal College of Music, graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Music with Honours and a Postgraduate Diploma with Distinction. She is currently studying with Ani Schnarch. In the past few years, Hannah has played with various groups including The Locrian Ensemble and The New Art Ensemble and has also worked as a session musician, recording in some of the top studios in London. She has recently written and had published her first book - a violin tutor guide - although chamber music remains her passion.
Photo: www.sacconi.com
ROBIN ASHWELL plays both viola and baroque / classical viola. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2003 with two performance diplomas and a First Class honours degree. Whilst at the College, Robin was awarded all the major viola prizes and the Tagore Gold Medal, the College's highest prize, in recognition of achievements and contribution to College life.
Robin was Principal Viola of the European Union Baroque Orchestra for its 2001 season, and since then he has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He was formerly a student of Andreij Vijtovitch, Ian Jewel, Jan Schlapp, Catherine Mackintosh, Annette Isserlis, and Marguerite Wilkinson.
Robin has a keen interest in education work, and has worked alongside members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra on its Playerlink scheme, conducting music workshops in schools around London. He was also involved in running the first Higher Education Summer School at the Royal College of Music in 2000.
Photo ©Tony Ward
CARA BERRIDGE graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2002 with First Class Honours and continued her studies as the Amaryllis Fleming Scholar, receiving her Postgraduate Diploma and Advanced Diploma with Distinction in 2003 and 2004. She is continuing her studies with Melissa Phelps.
During her time at the RCM, Cara was Principal Cello of the RCM Symphony Orchestra and RCM Sinfonietta under, amongst other conductors, Martin André and Vassily Zinaisky. Whilst still a student, Cara won some of the major cello prizes including the Anna Shuttleworth Prize for solo cello and the Helen Just Prize for cello. In 2003 Cara played continuo cello with the RCM Baroque Orchestra in the Christmas Oratorio, directed by Peter Schreier, at St John's Smith Square. Also during 2003 Cara performed in the London Symphony Orchestra as part of its String Experience Scheme.
As a soloist, Cara has performed concertos by Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Saint-Saens and J. C. Bach in concerts throughout the UK and Europe. Cara's past teachers include Anna Shuttleworth, Alexander Boyarsky, Jenny Ward-Clarke and Sue Lowe, and she has participated in masterclasses with Alexander Baillie, Johannes Goritzki and Nicholas Jones.