The Silk String Quartet 

New in its style and unique in its instrumentation, the Silk String Quartet is an exciting professional Chinese string group based in the UK. It comprises the four best classically trained Chinese virtuoso musicians based in Britain, rich in Chinese and Western musical experience and with international reputations. They have pooled their talents in order to pursue creative music projects and collaborations. The Silk String Quartet plays new music – some especially commissioned – as well as their own interpretation of traditional pieces. Their music is principally Chinese in origin, but they also enjoy educational and collaborative projects across a range of musical cultures.

Established in Spring 2006, the Quartet has gained its profile as one of the Europe’s best professional Chinese music ensembles for classical and contemporary music. The group has been invited to play on the prestigious stages of world music at WOMEX 2006 in Spain, and at WOMAD 2007, both in the UK and in Gran Canaria. In addition to performing widely in Europe (including in Holland, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland and Sweden), the Quartet’s UK concerts have included such venues as London’s Royal Opera House, Southbank’s Purcell Room, Duke’s Hall, St George’s in Bristol, the Sage Gateshead in Newcastle and at the Manchester, Brighton and Guildford Festivals. The Quartet’s debut CD (top 3 ARC Music 2007-08) has been highly acclaimed and was featured by BBC Radio 3. The group’s collaborative projects since 2007 have included shows with the acclaimed multimedia opera spectacular “Monkey: Journey to the West” (with Blur/Gorillaz singer Damon Albarn), in Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet (2007) and in London’s O2 Center (2008-09); with cellist  Matthew Barley including works by Peter Wiegold November 2008); with the Chamber Music Company featuring Judith Weir and Tan Dun’s works (Dec 2008) as well newly commissioned music with pianist Lang Lang and London Symphony Orchestra (April 2009). Currently, the Quartet is working on a Chinese-Scottish-Western music project with double bass player Emma Smith and composer Jim Sutherland, supported by Arts Council of Scotland, and will tour Scotland in summer 2010.

Audio and video samples

Reviews

Profile highlights

• Winner of PRS Foundation (for New Music) Awards for Performance Groups 2007
• Winner of PRS Foundation British Music Abroad Awards 2006
• WOMAD Festivals: Canary Islands, November, and Charlton Park, UK, July 2007
• WOMEX 2006 in Sevilla, Spain – one of only two UK groups chosen for this international showcase
• Canary Islands tour in Tenerife and Las Palmas November 2007
• Opera “Monkey: Journey to the West” (with Blur singer Damon Albarn).
• Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, September/October 2007 and Manchester International Festival, July 2007
• BBC Radio 3 Late Junction, broadcast 2 August 2007

• CD publication – ‘The Silk String Quartet’ under the ARC Music label, August 2007
• Europe – Ruigeland, Holland (June) and Masala, Germany (July) Festivals, 2007
• Brighton Festival (May 2007) and Guilford Music Festival, March 2007
• Royal Opera House, Linbury, St George’s, Bristol and Early Music Centre, York, February 2007

Main activities and projects for 2008

• Brunei Lecture Theatre, SOAS, University of London SOAS, 12 February
• Tour/performances in January and February Chinese New Year with 12 concerts in the UK.
• British Museum – several concerts and educational work in conjunction with The First Emperor – China’s Terracotta Army, October 2007, April 2008
• The Sound of China – Ancient and Modern, British Museum, 22 February 2008
• Tour in the Canary Islands and major cities in Spain, March/April 2008
• Looking East Festival – Newcastle, the Sage Gateshead, April 2008
• Second Glance Festival (contemporary music) – Chinese Music Special, June 2008
• Spitalfields Festival, 6 June 2008
• Opera – “Monkey: Journey to the West” – (with Blur singer, Damon Albarn) Berlin and London shows including the Barbican Centre, July and Autumn 2008
• The Yin Yang Collective Project – China-West mixed ensemble (with the Chamber Music Company)
• The Silk String Quartet and Matthew Barley (cellist) Project – tour/concerts, including well-known British composer Peter Wiegold’s new work, 6-16 November 2008

Main activities and projects for 2009

• St George's Bristol concert and workshops, 24 January
  
• Essex-Jiangsu Festival Concert, 22 March
  
• LSO St. Luke's, London – major concert with Lang Lang: 23 April
  
• Recording music for the Hollywood film "Shanghai", May
  
• Bidasoa Folk Festival, Spain, 20-24 August
  

The Musicians

The Silk String Quartet performing with Lang Lang, April 2009, LSO St Lukes, London.
The Silk String Quartet performing with Lang Lang, April 2009, LSO St Lukes, London