Biography
Since the early twenty-first century, when guitar chamber music experienced a resurgence, Britain's Aquarelle Guitar Quartet has ranked among the foremost ensembles in the field. Their programs and recordings encompass repertoire stretching from Renaissance works to present-day compositions.
The ensemble came together in 1999 at Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music, where its members—Michael Baker, Vasilis Bessas, James Jervis, and Rory Russell—had each completed guitar studies with Craig Ogden and Gordon Crosskey. After forming the quartet, the musicians pursued further group training with established figures that included guitarist and composer Sérgio Assad. Early backing arrived through awards granted by the Musicians Benevolent Fund, Tillett Trust, and Tunnell Trust.
Critical praise has accompanied appearances at leading British halls such as Wigmore Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and Bridgewater Hall. European tours followed, leading to an Asian debut in Seoul during 2014 and a return to South Korea two years later for the Daejon International Guitar Festival. A significant domestic occasion took place at the Royal Albert Hall, where the quartet joined the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields for a Classic FM Live concert alongside violinist Maxim Vengerov, composer and conductor Debbie Wiseman, soprano Laura Wright, and keyboardist Wayne Marshall.
New music has formed a recurring focus, with performances of pieces by Carlos Rafael Rivera, Phillip Houghton, and Stephen Dodgson among others. Clarice Assad, sister of Sérgio Assad, supplied the commissioned work Danças Nativas, which received the Latin Grammy for best classical composition in 2009. The group's selections span eras from the Renaissance forward and include their own adaptations of music by Mussorgsky, Rossini, and film composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Each musician holds university teaching posts in northern England and contributes to a range of educational projects.
Recordings have appeared regularly on the Chandos label, among them the 2009 thematic album Spirit of Brazil. In 2019 the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet released Voyage Central Park, also on Chandos.
The ensemble came together in 1999 at Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music, where its members—Michael Baker, Vasilis Bessas, James Jervis, and Rory Russell—had each completed guitar studies with Craig Ogden and Gordon Crosskey. After forming the quartet, the musicians pursued further group training with established figures that included guitarist and composer Sérgio Assad. Early backing arrived through awards granted by the Musicians Benevolent Fund, Tillett Trust, and Tunnell Trust.
Critical praise has accompanied appearances at leading British halls such as Wigmore Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and Bridgewater Hall. European tours followed, leading to an Asian debut in Seoul during 2014 and a return to South Korea two years later for the Daejon International Guitar Festival. A significant domestic occasion took place at the Royal Albert Hall, where the quartet joined the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields for a Classic FM Live concert alongside violinist Maxim Vengerov, composer and conductor Debbie Wiseman, soprano Laura Wright, and keyboardist Wayne Marshall.
New music has formed a recurring focus, with performances of pieces by Carlos Rafael Rivera, Phillip Houghton, and Stephen Dodgson among others. Clarice Assad, sister of Sérgio Assad, supplied the commissioned work Danças Nativas, which received the Latin Grammy for best classical composition in 2009. The group's selections span eras from the Renaissance forward and include their own adaptations of music by Mussorgsky, Rossini, and film composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Each musician holds university teaching posts in northern England and contributes to a range of educational projects.
Recordings have appeared regularly on the Chandos label, among them the 2009 thematic album Spirit of Brazil. In 2019 the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet released Voyage Central Park, also on Chandos.
Albums
