The Aestus Quartet with Jordi Bitlloch / Piano

LEOŠ JANÁČEK

String Quartet No 1 ‘The Kreutzer Sonata’

i. Adagio – Con moto

ii. Con moto

iii. Con moto – Vivace – Andante

iv. Con moto – Adagio

JOHANNES BRAHMS

Four Ballades Op 10

i. Andante

ii. Andante

iii. Intermezzo

iv. Andante con moto

INTERVAL

ROBERT SCHUMANN

Piano Quintet in E flat major Op 44

i. Allegro brillante

ii. In modo d’una marcia: Un poco largamente – Agitato

iii. Scherzo: Molto vivace

iv. Allegro, ma non troppo

Aestus String Quartet

Leda Mileto (violin), Christopher Karwacinski (violin), Beth Willett (viola) and Clara Hope Simpson (cello)

Since its formation at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2021, the Aestus Quartet have established themselves as a dynamic ensemble that is recognized for their warmth and sensitive musical approach. The name “Aestus” is Latin for sea tide and is inspired by the opening of one of the staples in their repertoire: Benjamin Britten’s String Quartet No 2.

They are recipients of the RNCM Weil Prize, finalists in the RNCM Christopher Rowland Ensemble of the Year Prize among others, and participants of Chamber Studio UK’s inaugural Hans Keller Forum in 2022-2023. They are grateful to have been mentored by international artists including Donald Grant (Elias Quartet), Petr Prause (Talich Quartet), Jeremy Young, Richard Ireland, John Myerscough (Doric Quartet) and Alasdair Beatson.

In 2023 the quartet both opened and closed the Lake District Summer Music Festival’s Emerging Artist Series. Passionate about making classical music inclusive and accessible, in May 2023 they worked with the Festival’s Artistic Director Stephen Threlfall to deliver a series of workshops in schools and community centres.

In the 2022-2023 season, the quartet additionally made appearances at Southwell Music Festival, BBC Philharmonic Young Artist series (Bridgewater Hall), and Buxton Opera House Coffee Concerts. As part of the Hans Keller Forum, the quartet also gave a final concert at the

West Road Concert Hall, University of Cambridge and performed in a lecture recital: “Behind the Music: Pre-compositional thought in Benjamin Britten’s Second String Quartet” presented by Nicky Swett.

The quartet also enjoyed a busy 2023 summer season, performing for Enys Chamber Music Festival and debuting internationally at the Festival Ravel Academy (Pays Basque), where they were coached by David Waterman and performed in the Jerusalem Quartet’s public masterclass.

The Aestus are currently starting a new chapter having been appointed RNCM Studio Quartet

2023-2024 as well as Britten Pears Young Artists 2023-2024 for the “Chamber Futures” program (March 2024). Future appearances include Bury Parish Lunchtime Series, RNCM Thursday Lunchtime series (Studio Quartet & Friends) and Grantham Music Club.

The Aestus String Quartet appears by kind permission of the RNCM.

Jordi Bitlloch: Piano

Born in France in a musical family, Jordi attended the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey as a teenager, studying under Ruth Nye, and later the University of Arts in Berlin (Germany) under Pascal Devoyon, where he earned undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in performance. During those years he also attended courses and masterclasses with Ferenc Rados, Klaus Hellwig, Heime Müller (chamber music), Dietrich Fiescher-Dieskau and Eric Schneider (vocal accompaniment). His international breakthrough came when he won second prize and audience prize at the International Beethoven Competition in Bonn (Germany). He has also garnered prizes in the European Piano Competition Vlado Perlemuter and Concours Aujourd'hui Musiques (France). He has performed throughout Europe as a soloist and chamber musician and has been a guest at festivals such as the Klavierfestival Ruhr (Germany), Music in Paxton (Scotland), Windsor Festival, Festival Jeunes Talents (France) and Euriade Festival (Holland). He is currently based in Manchester working as a performer and accompanist in the north west, and was Junior Fellow in Accompaniment at the Royal Northern College of Music between 2021 and 2023.

Jordi Bitlloch appears by kind permission of the RNCM.