Almost fifty years ago (1969), on another 28th September, the then North Cumberland Recital Club began its season with music from an even earlier period, when The Early Music Consort of London played a programme titled Music from the Royal Courts of Europe 1150-1600. The concert was in The Fratry and programmes cost one shilling. Musicians included Christopher Hogwood, David Munrow and James Bowman (counter tenor). On this occasion there will be no esoteric instruments such as the crumhorn, shawm and rebec, but we will hear a prize-winning string quartet. And now our programmes are free!
Consone were winners of the 2016 Royal Over-Seas League Strings/Keyboard Ensemble Prize and their success at the finals of the 2015 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition brought them a place on the European Emerging Ensembles Scheme. They have performed widely in the UK and in Europe, including at the Wigmore Hall, London on the 17th July. On the 4th August they will play in the Carver Church, Windermere as part of the Lake District Summer Music Festival.
Violinist Magdalena Loth-Hill is from Brampton, near Carlisle, and was a regular competitor and prize-winner in the Carlisle and District Music and Drama Festival. Taught initially by local teachers Carol Head and Elena Nicholson, Magdalena went on to study at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester and then at the Royal College of Music in London. Magda says that she enjoys returning to Cumbria to perform and has played in the Carlisle Cathedral lunchtime concert series and at St Cuthbert's for Carlisle Music Society with Simon Lane, piano, in 2014. On the 6th September she will play in St Martin's Church, Brampton as part of the Brampton Classical series of concerts.
Other members of Consone are: Agata Daraskaite (violin), Elitsa Bogdanova (viola) and George Ross (cello).