Allegri Quartet

As the Allegri Quartet, Ofer Falk, Rafael Todes, Dorothea Vogel and Vanessa Lucas-Smith, celebrates its 60th anniversary, making it Britain's oldest chamber group, it looks back upon its key role on the British musical scene. It has worked with composers such as Benjamin Britten, Michael Tippett, Elizebeth Maconchy, John Woolrich, Anthony Payne, James MacMillan, Matthew Taylor and Alec Roth, collaborating with new commissions and recordings.

Having completed a Beethoven and Shostakovich Cycle at King's Place in London, it is continuing with a further cycle in September 2013 in Switzerland and Benslow, UK. The process of recording the cycle has begun with the forthcoming release of the first CD of the Op 18's, on the Vivat label, recorded on Hi-Definition audio at the Yehudi Menuhin School's concert Hall, working in collaboration with Tony Faulkener, engineer and Robert King, producer.

The Quartet has recently released a CD of Matthew Taylor's Quartet no 6 on the Toccata Classics Label, with a further CD of the music of Bolzano-born composer Ludwig Thuille on the Champs Hill label, a contemporary and friend of Richard Strauss with recently discovered previously unrecorded material.

Forthcoming projects include invitations to Italy and Uzbekistan, two World premiers of Quartets by Alec Roth, for the Salisbury International Festival, and Malvern Music Club, and a host of birthday celebrations throughout the UK.

"The Allegri play intensely, but also gracefully; they know when to give the music space" (David Cairns Sunday Times - June 2013)

"The current line-up plays with elegance and cleanness of detail. Avoiding heavy gesture in favour of nimble energy" (Fiona Maddocks Independent on Sunday - June 2013)