Consone Quartet, the first-ever period-instrument quartet to perform at Breinton, made a stark contrast from the previous week's event (that is, I intended it that way!). Another stark contrast was the British weather, this time at least ten degrees cooler and threatening to rain all afternoon (which I did not intend but our audience was well prepared for!).  However uncertain the weather condition was, and however nervous I felt all morning, our wonderful audience came along happily. Everyone knew how incredibly fortunate we were to be able to hear the Consone Quartet. 

The programme, which consisted of Mozart's Quartet in D minor K421 and Mendelssohn Quartet 1823, was utterly beautiful, and I felt the quartet displayed their strengths superbly; their expert collaboration, the glorious sounds of their distinguished period instruments, the precision of each and every note melting into a beautiful harmony and shape.  Surely these must be some of the reasons why they were selected as the first-ever period-instrument quartet as BBC Young Generation Artists!

Supporting their performance was a young cellist from Wellington College, Yi-Ann Yeung.  Her varied programme of short solo pieces from the baroque to living composers was well-structured, appealing and very convincing.