Gloucestershire's classical music fans are looking forward to the return of live chamber music this weekend as the renowned Carducci Festival comes to Highnam Church, near Gloucester.

Cancelled in 2020 due to lockdown restrictions, hosts the Carducci String Quartet are delighted to return with a programme of Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, Haydn and David Bruce.

The Quartet will be joined on stage by Kathryn Stott on piano (Friday) and Julian Bliss on clarinet (Saturday) with a programme of Beethoven string quartets on Sunday.

Limited tickets are still available for the performances on Saturday 22nd (6pm or 8pm) and Sunday 23rd (11am or 1pm). Friday evening's concerts have sold out.

The Carducci String Quartet is a gem of Gloucestershire's music scene. They are one of the UK's finest string quartets and renowned internationally for their "high-octane playing and balanced control with devil-may-care spontaneity." (The Guardian).

Violinist Michelle Fleming said: "For the Quartet, it's a joy to return to live concerts. Over the past year or so, we have been lucky enough to work on some incredible projects, but nothing beats the energy and delight of performing for an audience. We're really pleased to be hosting this festival again, on our 'home turf' here in Gloucestershire."

Penny Wright is chair of the Carducci Music Trust, the charity which supports the work of the Quartet and which organises the annual Carducci Festival.

She said: "We are so pleased to be putting on the festival again, after a pause last year. We have put in place lots of Covid safety measures to ensure our audiences and musicians enjoy these beautiful concerts, in the charming surroundings of Highnam Church, in a safe, socially distanced way."

To book tickets for the performances, please email Cathy on carduccitrust@gmail.com 

If you can't make it in person, recorded programmes will be available to view online the following weekend, Friday 28 - Sunday 30 May, on the Quartet's YouTube and Facebook channels.

Visit https://carducciquartet.com/festivals/  for further info and full concert programme details.