Exploring the Boundaries of Classical Music

Intriguing and Unusual

OXUS is a string quartet with an eye for intriguing and unusual repertoire, performing music from all eras, but specialising in 20th-century and contemporary works. They have been playing together since 2006, and frequently perform with other artists and media in works such as Steve Reichʼs Different Trains with electronics, The Juliet Letters by Elvis Costello and The Brodsky Quartet, Arts Council funded collaborative projects with installation artist Pam Foley, with Moonrakers folk group, and even recording for a Japanese department store at Abbey Road Studios!

Innovative Presentation

KATE, LOUISE, HEATHER and SPIKE are all established performers individually, with musical activities ranging from orchestral leading and continuo playing to baroque and jazz performances.

TOGETHER they strive to find different ways to present a wide variety of music, stripping away some of the formality which chamber music performance is perceived to involve.

OXUS performs regularly in a variety of venues ranging from the Institute of Contemporary Art in London to the stables building of a pub in the Thame Arts and Literary Festival, SJE Arts, and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

Other regular activities include giving workshops, working with youth and amateur orchestras, and coaching. OXUS was the resident quartet for the Wycombe Abbey School's inaugrual Chamber Music Summer School.

Forthcoming Projects and Concerts

Saturday 7th June

Echoes and Origins

The Reuben GCR invites you to Echoes and Origins: an evening of music and art, exploring the interweaving of old and new ideas in the newest college at the oldest University in the UK. Accompanying the concert will be an art exhibition by Reuben student and artist Deshna Shah, which will visually explore the theme of repetitions and reinterpretations of ideas across history, culture and philosophy. Socialise before and after the concert (and in the interval) with a full bar service and free cheese platters. All profits of this event will be donated to The Gatehouse: a local Oxford charity that provides food, shelter and advice for the homeless and disadvantaged.

Saturday 21st June

Revolution

Revolutionary, revolving, but (we hope) never revolting. Come and enjoy your own little rebellion with an hour of varied and exciting string quartet music.

Marc Mellits ~ String Quartet No. 2 "Revolution"
Gabriella Smith ~ Carrot Revolution
Hamza El Din ~ Escalay / The Water Wheel
Beethoven Op. 132 ~ Alla marcia assai vivace - Allegro appassionato (final movement)
Scott Joplin ~ excerpts from Treemonisha

Tickets £15 / £2 under 25's.
Saturday June 21st, All Saints' Church, Headington, 4.30pm

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Mozart ~ String Quartet K387, i. Allegro Vivace Assai

Ravel ~ String Quartet in F, i. Allegro moderato, très doux

Caroline Shaw ~ Plan and Elevation

Interval

Caroline Shaw ~ Punctum

Stephan Koncz ~ A New Satiesfaction

Max Richter ~ On the Nature of Daylight

Thomas Adès ~ O Albion

John Dowland ~ Flow my Tears

Rune Tonsguard Sørensen ~ Shine You No More

Tickets £15 / £12 / £8

Under 15s free

Saturday June 7th, Reuben College, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QP, 7.30pm (doors 6.30pm)

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What people say about OXUS...

"What a magical and moving concert."

"You four play superbly and your programme, as always, was excellent. I enjoyed every piece and, like the people around me, know that we can count on OXUS for new repertoire as well as super playing."

"It was fantastic - what a talented quartet and a lovely varied yet intertwined programme with just the right level of introductory info. A pleasure to see you play again."

"I wished I had brought someone with me who had never experienced a classical string quartet to show them: this is what it is all about. The setting in the chapel, the intimacy of the circle of seats around the performers' space, the dramatic way you began with physical fugal entries, and sheer musicality and sense of sharing with each other and the audience would have converted anyone to classical music."

"...sheer musicality and sense of sharing..."

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