Hear family-friendly, short selections from the week’s music, in this relaxed performance.
Admission free, donations welcome.

The 2026 Repertoire
J. Brahms (1833 – 1897) – String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51
G. Kurtág (b. 1926) – Six Moments Musicaux, Op. 44
J. Haydn (1732 – 1809) – String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 33, No. 1
J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750) – Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006
H. Biber (1644 – 1704) – Passacaglia in G Minor
Philip Sawyers (b.1951) – string quartet and saxophone (world premiere)
M. Ravel (1875 – 1937) – Sonata for violin and cello, M.73
J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750) – Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009
J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750) – Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006

Stefan Hersh, violin (USA)
Solenne Padidassi, violin (France)
David Yang, viola (USA)
Noemie Raymond, cello (Canada)
Andy Williamson, Saxophone (UK)
Philip Sawyers, Composer-in-Residence
Alfred Nicol, poet

Up front and centre of Ashburton Chamber Music Festival 2026 is Brahms’ passionate Quartet in C Minor, Op. 51. It’s Brahms at his most turbulent, lunging from stormy to tender to angst-ridden, with a finale that drives with a ferocious primal energy. We’ll also have two unaccompanied works by Bach: the ebullient E Major Partita for violin and the popular Suite in C Major for cello.

Seventeenth century composer Heinrich Biber’s soulful Passacaglia will make an appearance alongside Ravel’s enigmatic, jazzy, and oh-so-French Sonata for violin and cello. This year we commissioned poet Alfred Nicol to write six deeply personal sonnets to accompany Hungarian composer György Kurtág’s string quartet Six Moments Musicaux. Tom Vignieri’s Walk with Me for tenor sax and quartet will make its customary appearance, and the summer also features a world
première by esteemed English composer Philip Sawyers.

The Divertimento for saxophone & string quartet employs local folk songs such as “Widecombe Fair” in Sawyers’ distinct English voice. Grounding the entire festival is Haydn’s Quartet in B Minor, Op.33, No. 1 – a rare work in a minor key from the father of the string quartet. We’re also repeating last year’s hugely popular Nachtmusik, performed in the dark without applause.

David Yang, Festival Artistic Director

To see everything that's happening, and more about the music and the musicians go to ACMF 2026

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