Storytellers: Origins in Cambridge

Behind every piece of music is a story and across their 2026 Season, the New Zealand String Quartet is diving into them. Join them at Cambridge Town Hall for an evening exploring a rich cross-section of compositional voices and celebrating the art of storytelling through music.

PROGRAMME FOR ORIGINS:

Mika Cornelius Universal Veil

Franz Schubert String Quartet No. 10, in E flat major (D. 87)

Gareth Farr Mondo Rondo

Interval

Missy Mazzoli Death Valley Junction

Benjamin Britten String Quartet No. 1, in D major (Op. 25)

‘Origins’ opens with a piece composed especially for the NZSQ: Mika Cornelius’s Universal Veil, an ethereal and atmospheric trip through the lifecycle of fungi. Schubert’s vibrant E flat major quartet shows the teenage composer finding his voice before Gareth Farr brings us home with the infectious personality of Mondo Rondo. Grammy nominee and ‘Brooklyn’s post-millennial Mozart’ (Time Out New York) Missy Mazzoli reimagines a harsh desert landscape into something wild and buoyant in Death Valley Junction. 'Origins' concludes with the cornerstone of our 2026 Season, a tribute to Benjamin Britten as we play all three of his string quartets in the 50th year after his death. His first string quartet, written at 27 years old, prompted musicologist Peter Evans to declare him “a master of tonal architecture with scarcely a rival on the English scene.” It spans the intimate, restless and sublime and forms the perfect ending to our meditation on beginnings.

The concert programme, crafted in the NZSQ’s signature style, aims to engage audiences of all levels of familiarity with chamber music. Each piece of music is preceded by a lively and informative introduction delivered by the Quartet members themselves. These introductions seek to shed light on the stories behind the music, making it an enriching experience suitable for all audiences.