Musicians Give World Premiere Of Strings And Clarinet Work
We’re supporting concert featuring seven top players celebrating 80 years of music-making
As part of our commitment to the arts we’re backing Canterbury Music Club’s 80th anniversary year and its next concert, at 3pm on Sunday, April 24, features the Sacconi Quartet, along with clarinettist Mark Simpson, Tom Hancox (flute) and Rachel Wick (harp).
The concert takes place at the Colyer-Fergusson Hall, at Kent University, Canterbury and the programme features Debussy’s Trio, Ravel’s String Quartet in F, the world premiere of Robin Holloway’s Quintet for
clarinet and strings and Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro.
International career
For 20 years, the Sacconi Quartet has been captivating audiences with its unanimous and compelling ensemble, consistently communicating with a fresh and imaginative approach. Formed in 2001, the four founder members continue to demonstrate a shared passion for string quartet repertoire, infectiously reaching out to audiences with their energy and enthusiasm. The Sacconi enjoy a busy international career, performing regularly across the world, at Europe’s major venues. The quartet is Quartet in Association at the Royal College of Music and Quartet in Residence in Folkestone.
Mark Simpson has now established himself as a major new voice on the international stage. As a performer and composer, he is committed to new music and his compositions have been performed at the BBC Proms, Salzburg and Edinburgh International Festivals, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre London. He performs worldwide as a clarinettist, both as a concerto soloist and chamber musician.
Born in Liverpool in 1988, Simpson became the first ever winner of both the BBC Young Musician of the Year and BBC Proms/Guardian Young Composer of the Year competitions in 2006. He went on to read music at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, graduating with first class honours, and then studied composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Leading ensembles
Tom Hancox, who was educated in Canterbury, is co-principal flute of Britten Sinfonia. He also works regularly as guest principal flute for other orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, English National Opera, and the English Chamber Orchestra.
Thomas read music at St Peter’s College, Oxford, from where he graduated with a first, before pursuing further studies in Paris and subsequently at the Royal Academy of Music, finishing with a distinction and the honorary DipRAM. In 2019 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.
Rachel Wick is a graduate of St Peter’s College, Oxford and the Royal Academy of Music. As an orchestral player she has performed with many of the UK’s leading ensembles, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, BBC Concert Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Alongside a large private teaching practice, Rachel, with her flute duo partner, Thomas Hancox, plays for the charity CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust. In May 2018 she was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. Rachel is also the Artistic Co-Director of the Dunster Festival, a classical chamber music festival which takes place in May each year.