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Biography

Joel Garthwaite (Soprano), Hannah Riches (Alto), Lewis Evans (Tenor), Sarah Field (Baritone)

The award winning LSQ demonstrate their belief that new music is essential to keeping the arts relevant in today’s world through their sustained commitment to its creation and performance. Their aim continues to be to provide it with as wide a platform as possible.

LSQ performances span a wide range of occasions and venues including Bryn Terfel’s Faenol Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Deal Festival, Cambridge Summer Music Festival and the Welsh Proms as well as recitals at established chamber music venues such as The Forge, Wales Millennium Centre and The Warehouse plus TV and radio work with BBC Radio Wales, BBC Wales Today and BBC Radio 5 Live. A further element of the quartet’s work is through the Live Music Now! scheme, founded by the late Yehudi Menuhin. The quartet made their international debut in Salzburg 2010 as part of a tour in association with Live Music Now.

As well as commissioning established composers, the LSQ are keen to support the development of emerging composers. This led to the creation of the LSQ New Music Award, which gives young composers at universities and music colleges the opportunity to have their works performed at a high profile London venue. The 2007 winning piece, ‘In Memoriam’ by James Williamson was recorded on the LSQ’s album Flux and published by Staunch Music, the quartet’s own publishing company.

Their Catching Sunlight project was awarded an MBF Ensembles Award in 2008. Initially commissioned by the LSQ for quartet and piano, composer and jazz pianist Dave Stapleton reworked the piece for jazz quartet and saxophone quartet. The Edition Records disc was released to critical acclaim with 4star reviews in publications including Jazzwise magazine and The Independent on Sunday and 5star reviews across Germany and Russia.