The London Music Club Quartet performs Mozart and Schumann

On Wednesday, October 16th, at 1:00pm in Winifred Smith Hall, The London Music Club Quartet will perform Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G Minor and Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, two of the most iconic works written for piano quartet.

Pianist Lorna Griffitt and Professor Emeritus of Violin, Haroutune Bedelian will be joined by visiting artists Russell Guyver (Viola) and David Chew (Cello). Russel Guyver played viola in orchestras in England, Scotland, Venezuela and the U.S. For many years Guyver has been a guest artist at The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival (AK), Gold Coast Chamber Music Festival (CA), and Rio International Cello Encounter (Brazil). He is recently retired from the University of Northern Colorado, where he served as the Director of Orchestras for twenty-five years. David Chew, OBE (Order of the British Empire), is an English cellist living in Brazil since 1981, his awards include a Latin Grammy nomination, and he was made an Honorary Citizen (Key to the City) of the state of Rio de Janeiro.  He recently retired as the first cellist of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra to devote his time to performing.

The London Music Club Quartet began performing together in Rio de Janeiro almost twenty-five years ago as a part of the Rio International Cello Festival created by David Chew, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in August in Brazil. The festival has included extensive performances around the country and abroad for decades. Musicians from around the world participated in this extraordinary festival which included an educational component, bringing music education to under-privileged communities throughout the country.

The ensemble takes its name from the London Musical Club which was established in London immediately after the 2nd World War as a residence for visiting performing artists. Many celebrated musicians stayed there as they visited the city for concerto appearances or recitals in major venues..

David Chew and Russell Guyver were students at the Guildhall School of Music in 1973 when they first met Haroutune Bedelian at the Cyprus International Music Festival. On returning to London they frequently visited Haroutune at the LMC to read chamber music together. Haroutune Bedelian met his future wife, Lorna Griffitt there in 1977 when she stayed there while studying piano during that summer. David Chew also met his first wife at the LMC.

So it seemed appropriate that a chamber group including these four musicians should adopt the moniker ‘London Music Club’, allowing the flexibility to include other musician friends as needed. It will be a particular delight and privilege to hear these life-long friends come together to make music.

This concert is free and open to the public.