The Smith Quartet is a UK based

string quartet The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinist ...

founded in 1988 that specializes in the performance of

contemporary classical music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included se ...

, and is actively performing worldwide and recording . They have premiered over 100 works by composers such as Kevin Volans, Graham Fitkin,

Michael Nyman Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE (born 23 March 1944) is an English composer, pianist, librettist, musicologist, and filmmaker. He is known for numerous film scores (many written during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Green ...

Karl Jenkins Sir Karl William Pamp Jenkins (born 17 February 1944) is a Welsh multi-instrumentalist and composer. His best known works include the song "Adiemus" and the ''Adiemus'' album series; ''Palladio''; ''The Armed Man''; and his ''Requiem''. Jen ...

, and

Sally Beamish Sarah Frances Beamish (born 26 August 1956) is a British composer and violist. Her works include chamber, vocal, choral and orchestral music. She has also worked in the field of music, theatre, film and television, as well as composing for chil ...

. They have also collaborated with dance companies and musicians in other genres, notably jazz composer

Django Bates Django Bates (born Leon Bates, 2 October 1960) is a British jazz musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist, band leader and educator. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. Bates has been described as "one of the most talented musici ...

and

Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...

band Pulp. The quartet frequently uses amplification and live electronics in performance to expand their range of performing venues and repertoire. Their performance of

Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer known for his contribution to the development of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, ...

's ''

Different Trains ''Different Trains'' is a three-movement piece for string quartet and tape written by Steve Reich in 1988. Background During World War II, Reich made train journeys between New York and Los Angeles to visit his parents, who had separated. Year ...

'' was featured in the film Holocaust.HOLOCAUST - A Music Memorial Film from Auschwitz
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Members

Current members (2023)

*Ian Humphries (1st violin) *Rick Koster (2nd violin) *Nic Pendlebury (viola) *Deirdre Cooper (cello)

Former members

*Steven Smith (violin) *Tanya Smith (cello) *Clive Hughes (violin) *Charles Mutter (violin) *

Darragh Morgan Darragh Morgan (Belfast, 1974) is an Irish violinist. Darragh has established himself as a soloist of new music giving numerous recitals aSonorities Festival, as well as in Prague, Malta, Nicosia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Italy, Switzerla ...

(violin) *Sophie Harris (cello) * Philip Sheppard (cello)

References

External links

Official website
Musical groups established in 1988 English string quartets Contemporary classical music ensembles {{Classical-ensemble-stub