Vanbrugh & Friends – NSQF 2026 Autumn Tour
Vanbrugh & Friends – NSQF 2026 Autumn Tour
Keith Pascoe, violin
Marja Gaynor, violin
Simon Aspell, viola
Séamus Hickey, viola
Christopher Marwood, cello
The Vanbrugh has evolved from the work of the Vanbrugh Quartet which was based in Cork as RTE’s Resident Quartet from 1986 to 2013 and as Artists-in-Residence at University College, Cork from 1990 until the retirement of violinist Gregory Ellis in 2017. Over three decades the quartet gave close to three thousand concerts, presenting the chamber music repertoire to audiences throughout Ireland, Europe, the Americas, and the Far East. Commercial recordings include more than thirty CDs of repertoire ranging from the complete Beethoven quartets to many contemporary Irish works. In 2016 the group was presented with the National Concert Hall’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their contribution to music in Ireland.
Keith Pascoe, Simon Aspell, and Christopher Marwood continue to perform together as the nucleus of the Vanbrugh and are joined by guest artists for performances of a wide range of chamber music repertoire.
The National String Quartet Foundation is a legacy of the work of the Vanbrugh Quartet and Vanbrugh & Friends remain a cornerstone of the National String Quartet Foundation’s annual tours, bringing chamber music to every corner of the Ireland.
The Foundation was set up in 2016 to bring live chamber music to audiences throughout Ireland and to support Irish musicians and composers. Its projects have been supported by the Arts Council since 2018.
The Foundation’s Artistic and Executive Director is Christopher Marwood, cellist of the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet for 30 years. He was co-founder of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival and remains director of the Festival’s string quartet masterclass programme.
Read details of the Vanbrugh & Friends – NSQF 2026 Autumn Tour and learn more about the musicians for this concert.
Many thanks to Séamus Hickey, who is standing in for Ed Creedon on viola.
