Gregory Ellis, violin I • Keith Pascoe, violin II
Simon Aspell, viola • Christopher Marwood, cello

The Vanbrugh Quartet was founded in 1985 by Gregory Ellis, Elizabeth Charleson, Simon Aspell, and Christopher Marwood. Keith Pascoe has been playing second violin since 1998. The Vanbrugh Quartet’s international career was launched when they won first prize at the 1988 London String Quartet Competition. Familiar visitors to UK festivals and music societies, The Vanbrugh Quartet also broadcasts frequently for BBC Radio 3 and performs regularly at London’s Wigmore Hall. International appearances include concerts throughout Europe as well as tours of China, Japan and South America and numerous visits to Scandinavia. From 1986 to 2013 The Vanbrugh Quartet was resident quartet at RTÉ (Ireland’s national broadcasting service). The members of the quartet are artists-in-residence at University College, Cork, and founders of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Their extensive repertoire includes more than sixty Irish commissions and premières. The quartet’s thirty CD releases include recordings of quartets by E.J. Moeran and John McCabe which were nominated for Gramophone Awards, and the same magazine featured CDs of music by C.V. Stanford and Boccherini as Editor’s Choice. For Marco Polo The Vanbrugh Quartet has recorded works by Frederick May and Aloys Fleischmann (8.223888). Other CDs include a highly acclaimed set of complete Beethoven Quartets (Intim Musik), and works by Haydn, Schubert, Dvořák, Janaček, Dohnányi, Copland, Robert Simpson, John Tavener, and many contemporary Irish composers, issued by ASV, Hyperion, Chandos, Metronome, Black Box, NMC and other labels.

Photo: Con Kelleher, provided courtesy of RTÉ