Alba String Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Alba String Quartet was formed by students of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in 2003. It comprises four young musicians: Liam Lynch and Stewart Webster (violins), Hannah Craib (viola) and Emily Walker (cello). The Albas have performed throughout the UK
, including a week-long residency at St Andrew's University, and concerts at the 2006 St Magnus Festival
in Orkney ("...[The Alba String Quartet]...fielded a finely judged account of Debussy's String Quartet in G minor
with real musical skill"). They have recorded for the BBC
, and broadcast a New Year concert on local Hungarian television. They have performed to, among others, Vladimir Ashkenazy
, Bill Gates
and Tony Blair
. The Albas were the inaugural recipients of the EMS two-year scholarship.
Past members:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, including a week-long residency at St Andrew's University, and concerts at the 2006 St Magnus Festival
St Magnus Festival
The St Magnus Festival is an annual 6-day arts festival which takes place on the islands of Orkney off the north coast of mainland Scotland.-History and Management:...
in Orkney ("...[The Alba String Quartet]...fielded a finely judged account of Debussy's String Quartet in G minor
String Quartet (Debussy)
Claude Debussy wrote his sole String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 in 1893.-Background:The previous year Debussy had abandoned the opera Rodrigue et Chimène...
with real musical skill"). They have recorded for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and broadcast a New Year concert on local Hungarian television. They have performed to, among others, Vladimir Ashkenazy
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy is a Russian-Icelandic conductor and pianist. Since 1972 he has been a citizen of Iceland, his wife Þórunn's country of birth. Since 1978, because of his many obligations in Europe, he and his family have resided in Meggen, near Lucerne in Switzerland...
, Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
and Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. The Albas were the inaugural recipients of the EMS two-year scholarship.
Personnel
Current members:- Liam Lynch (1st violin)
- Stewart Webster (2nd violin)
- Hannah Craib (viola)
- Emily Walker (cello)
Past members:
- Miriam McFadyen (2nd violin, 2003 – 2004)
- Emma Stevenson (viola, 2003 – 2004)
- Veronika Toth (viola, 2004 – 2006)
- Robert Anderson (cello, 2003 – 2008)