The Gloucestershire-based Carducci String Quartet will be "bringing the music home" to their own festival at Highnam, just outside Gloucester, from 19-21 May.

The Carducci Quartet are more often found performing at classical festivals around the world; collaborating with folk-rock icon Jethro Tull; or racking up over 16 million plays on Spotify.

Founded in 1997 by married couples Matthew and Emma Denton, and Michelle Fleming and Eoin Schmidt-Martin, the Carducci Quartet has enjoyed notable successes including performing at London's Wigmore Hall and at Carnegie Hall in New York. They have premiered a number of works by living composers including Karl Jenkins, and released several acclaimed CDs.

The Quartet established the Carducci Festival at Highnam in 2006, in part to give themselves the opportunity to work closer to home, and to invite their favourite guest artists to collaborate with them to perform some fabulous chamber music. Highnam Church is also a special location for Matthew and Emma as they were married in the church 25 years ago this year!

For the 2023 Festival the Carducci Quartet will be joined by Martin Roscoe (piano); Ashok Klouda (cello); Craig Ogden (guitar) and Peter Lale (viola) to perform music from Bach to Caroline Shaw (2011) including classics such as Brahms Piano Quintet and String Quintets by Schubert, Mozart and Mendelssohn.

Alongside the four Festival concerts taking place from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 May, there will be opportunities for audience members to hear performances and compositions by talented local young musicians, as well as an opportunity to visit the beautiful gardens at nearby Highnam Court on the Sunday afternoon.

Cellist Emma Denton said: "It's always a pleasure to programme and perform at our own festival in Highnam - there's nothing quite like the feeling of playing to a supportive, local audience, and the opportunity to chat to audience members after the concert."

Tickets for the Carducci Festival at Highnam start at £12 and are completely free for anyone aged 26 or under. 

Find out more and book tickets at www.carduccifestivalhighnam.co.uk  or contact carduccitrust@gmail.com