String Quartet at The Exchange

We are set to hear a sequence that pivots between contemporary American rhythmic energy and the familiar warmth of the Romantic era. The evening opens with selected movements from John Adams’s Book of Alleged Dances, where you should listen for the mechanical, almost dry wit and jagged pulses that define his chamber style. This percussive feel continues with Jessie Montgomery’s Strum, a brief but vivid eight-minute work that uses various string textures to build a layering of folk-inflected sound. The second half of this half-hour performance moves to Dvořák’s String Quartet No.12. Known as the American, this work was written during the composer's time in the United States and is deeply influenced by the wide horizons he experienced there. You will hear pentatonic melodies and bird-song imitations that suggest a sense of longing and space. The shape of the programme is designed to show how different generations of composers have drawn inspiration from the American landscape and its varied musical traditions.

The performance features four players from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra: Colette Overdijk, Georgia Hannant, Jessica Tickle, and Arthur Boutillier. The CBSO is widely recognised as the flagship ensemble of the Midlands, based at Symphony Hall but frequently appearing in smaller configurations for more intimate chamber events. These four musicians represent the core of the orchestra's string section, bringing the technical precision and collective identity of a major symphonic body into a focused quartet setting. They are known for their versatility across classical repertoire and more recent, rhythmically demanding scores.

This event takes place at The Exchange in Birmingham on 21 October 2026. The total running time is approximately 33 minutes, making it an exceptionally concise performance that avoids the length of a traditional three-hour concert. Because of this short duration and the varied, rhythmic nature of the pieces, we recommend this particularly for first-time attendees or those looking for a cultural experience that fits into a busy evening schedule. As this is a chamber music event without staging, there are no surtitles or specific dress requirements to note beyond standard concert attendance.