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On a crisp December evening, the historic Conway Hall in London played host to a remarkable musical event: Quartet Concrète, joined by the distinguished cellist Bartholomew LaFollette. Together, they delivered a mesmerising performance of Schubert’s String Quintet in C major. The quartet’s members comprise of two Maiastra alumni; cellist, Joseph Barker (April 2025), and violinist, Anna Brown (December 2023 and September 2024). The concert drew an enthusiastic crowd of chamber music devotees, all eager to experience one of the genre’s greatest masterpieces rendered by outstanding artists.

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Conway Hall, renowned for its rich tradition of chamber music, provided the perfect acoustics and atmosphere for this concert. Since its opening in 1929 as the home of what is now the Conway Hall Ethical Society, the hall has served as a hub for ethical thought and dialogue in London. Named in honour of Moncure Conway; an abolitionist, freethinker, and former leader of the Ethical Society, the venue was purpose-built to encourage ethical discussion through lectures, debates, concerts, and social gatherings. The hall remains committed to this founding vision today, hosting a vibrant programme of events that consistently places ethics at the forefront of their ethos.

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Joining Quartet Concrète for this performance was Bartholomew LaFollette, a musician who is widely recognised as one of Britain’s leading cellists, celebrated for his expressive depth and technical mastery. Educated at the renowned Yehudi Menuhin School and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he has performed as a soloist and chamber musician with major orchestras and ensembles across Europe.

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‘It was a brilliant experience performing Schubert’s Quintet with Bartholomew. It’s always fascinating to see how the quartet dynamic changes when another instrument is added, and it was especially nice that we were able to have lots of time together working on this piece. The Schubert quintet is an intimidatingly well-known piece but with Bartholomew we felt at ease!’ – Anna Brown

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Schubert’s String Quintet in C major is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in chamber music, remarkable for its expansiveness, emotional intensity, and textural complexity. The Conway Hall audience was treated to a performance that captured the quintet’s grandeur: the brilliant contrapuntal exchanges in the Allegro, the haunting serenity of the Adagio, and the exuberant spirit of the final movement, all brought to life with precision and heartfelt musicianship.

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The Schubert Quintet is basically cello heaven; it was a privilege to perform it with Bart, who is such an inspiring artist. The work is monstrously long, utterly brilliant and always fresh no matter how many times you play it. It was especially intimate in the beautiful Conway Hall, and their amazing team led by Simon Callaghan made the whole project incredibly easy! – Joseph Barker

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This year, Quartet Concrète looks forward to being presented by Quatuor Diotima in a ‘Young Artist Platform’ in Strasbourg, centred around Schubert’s Death and the Maiden quartet. The group will also give recitals in multiple venues around London, as well as returning to Conway Hall in June to perform an evening recital. Anna and Joseph are also pleased to be playing together at Krysia Osostowicz’s ‘Music on the Moor’ Festival in Cornwall in July.