Susanne Stanzeleit
One of the leading violinists of her generation, Susanne Stanzeleit has performed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. She is well known for her unusually challenging and extensive repertoire, featuring many commissions and UK premieres of works by composers such as Peter Maxwell Davies, John Adams, Lou Harrison, Gyorgy Kurtág, John Woolrich, Philip Cashian and many others.
Susanne regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, German Radio and other major TV and radio stations abroad. She has received rave reviews and a Gramophone Award nomination for her long list of commercial recordings, which feature the complete works of Bartók, Enescu and Dvorák as well as Beethoven violin sonatas, works by Charles Camilleri and a series of English sonata recordings. Chamber discs include six discs with the Edinburgh Quartet, chamber music by Kenneth Leighton and two CDs of British piano quartets with the Primrose Quartet, all on Meridian.
Susanne was first violin of the Edinburgh String Quartet until 2002 and co-leader of Sinfonia 21, as well as guest-leading many of the foremost chamber orchestras and contemporary music groups in the UK. Susanne was Head of Strings at the London College of Music from 2002 - 2006 and now teaches at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
"Susanne Stanzeleit's playing is stunning...this thrilling performer sweeps you off your feet...pure magic."
The Strad, June 2003, CD of the month
“Stanzeleit is, above all, a musician. Her sense of style, her dedication to the music, her absorption of a splendid technique into the essence of whatever she is playing – all these add up to an all-round equipment of formidable dimensions. Come again soon!”
Musical Opinion, 1994
“…the best playing I heard at Dartington came in unknown works by John Adams and John Corigliano that dominated a late-night recital by the violinist Susanne Stanzeleit and Julian Jacobson. A recording wouldn’t go amiss.”
Michael White – Independent on Sunday 11 August 1996
“Stanzeleit is both controlled and musical…beautiful palette of line…melodic and imaginative…music before any sense of personal display. Rare qualities these days!” Classic CD, 1994
“Magnificent music, magnificent playing. What more could one wish for?” The Strad
Robin Ireland
Robin Ireland is best known as the viola player with the Lindsay String Quartet, with whom he played for twenty years until the group’s decision to disband in July 2005. Just three months later, he joined the Sorrel Quartet, and looks forward to an equally fruitful partnership with them. Robin is also an experienced soloist and has appeared with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. He has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and has given many recitals, often featuring transcriptions for viola of Bach’s unaccompanied works for violin and cello. His CD of unaccompanied Bach, including the Chaconne, is available on the Quartz label.
Since 1999, composing has become an increasingly important part of Robin’s life. He was commissioned by Sheffield University to write a string quartet for its 2005 centenary celebrations. This work, played by the Lindsays, features on a CD alongside Pairings, his three duos, for viola and cello, two violas, and violin and viola, released on the Meridian label in September 2005
Robin is a committed and enthusiastic teacher of viola. He was a part-time lecturer in Manchester University’s Music Department for 20 years, and has given talks and seminars in Manchester and Sheffield. He is an experienced chamber music coach and masterclass tutor, and is skilled at leading groups experimenting with improvisation. As a writer, he has contributed to the BBC Music Magazine.
Bernard Gregor-Smith
Bernard was the cellist and a founder member of the Lindsay String Quartet who disbanded in July 2005 after 40 years. They had one of the most stable and long-lived careers in British musical history and are by far the most recorded Quartet, having over 60 CDs in the ASV catalogue, including Beethoven’s entire quartet output twice, fifty Haydns, complete works for quartet by Schubert, Mozart, Dvorak, Janacek, etc.
Bernard is now playing with two chamber ensembles, the Primrose Piano Quartet and the Dante String Quartet, looking forward to continuing his career as a chamber musician in these exciting and fulfilling new partnerships. The Dante Quartet is one of the finest string quartets in Britain. The quartet is renowned for the emotional intensity of its performances. In 2001 the Dante Quartet recorded the four quartets of Edmund Rubbra to coincide with the centenary of his birth. Future engagements include performances at the Wigmore Hall, Cheltenham Festival and Auditorio Nationale in Madrid.
Bernard is an experienced teacher of Cello and has taught in University of Manchester for many years as a cello Professor and ensemble coach. He is now teaching at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and in The London College of Music and Media. He has organised many chamber music courses in England and other countries including a regular weekend masterclass series known as '4 strings 88 keys'.
Bernard is an experienced soloist and duo player and has to date recorded five CDs of the Cello/Piano repertoire. He is keen to experiment with new forms of small ensemble playing.
“The Lindsays are indeed the best friend a composer could have.”
Michael Tippett
“The Lindsays’ recording must be the first choice on all counts.”
Hi-Fi World
“The Lindsays bring a subtlety one can only dream of. Mutually attuned, ideally balanced and on top-notch form.”
The Strad
John Thwaites
John Thwaites studied with Harvey Dagul, Sulamita Aronovsky, Renna Kellaway, Paul Berkowitz, Martino Tirimo and Christian Blackshaw, on the Joint Course in Manchester, at the Guildhall, and in Siena,Vienna and the U.S.
He grew up in the same street as ‘cellist Alexander Baillie, with whom he has been playing for a quarter of a century. They were invited by Ralph Kirshbaum to play in the Gala closing recital of the inaugural Manchester International ‘Cello Festival in 1988 and to give the opening recital in the final 2007 Festival. They have recorded and broadcast together,and play annually at the Cotes des Isles Festival in France. Another long-standing and happy association is with Sue Lowe’s ‘Cello Schools, and this includes regular appearances with Johannes Goritzki. John was a member of the Music Group of Manchester 1986-93, and is currently a member of the Audley Horn Trio and the Scottish-based Da Vinci Piano Trio. His recording of Lyapunov’s Piano Sextet with the Dante Quartet was BBC Music Magazine’s chamber music choice for November 2004, and he broadcasts regularly for radio.
Formerly Head of Piano at Christ’s Hospital and a tutor at GSMD, John is now a professor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Course Director of Cadenza International Summer Music School, a strings and piano course for all ages that meets at the Purcell School every July.
“Contributing hugely to all this, and in absolute unanimity with the ‘cellist, was the excellent pianist John Thwaites, new to the RSAMD’s recital series and, clearly, a strong addition to the academy’s performing staff. Sheer musicianship all the way from two strong, confident players, and multiple delights for listeners.”
The Herald
"It was a ravishing account of a period masterpiece."
The Strad
“Thwaites had the sweep and aplomb of a master, contrasting the power and frolics of the Debussy with effortless ease.”
Yorkshire Post
"...astonishing emotional intensity - a fine recital and an outstanding musician."
John Lill
"This recording is a stunner. Brahms's First Sonata is so good I wish they had done the Second as well."
The Strad (CD with Alexander Baillie)