News

The Dréme String Quartet – comprising Trinity Laban students Elena Abad (violin), Melanie Gruwez (violin), Javier Morillas (viola) and Yunah Proost (cello) – has taken second prize at this year’s CAVATINA Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition.

Adjudicator Fiona Maddocks, classical music critic for The Observer, praised the quartet for their stunning performance of Beethoven’s Quartet in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4 at the Royal Academy of Music on Monday 14 May.

Trinity Laban enjoys an international reputation as a leading centre of chamber music study, with student ensembles enjoying sustained success in this prestigious competition. Recent winners have included the Nemesis Trio (2017) and Isbilia Quartet (2016).  

The four members of the Dréme String Quartet are all individual award winners of various national and international competitions, and have performed in some of the most prestigious venues in the UK and Europe. They came together as an ensemble just seven months ago, and in March this year were invited to entertain guests at a Parliamentary Reception marking the Association of British Orchestra’s 70th anniversary.

David Kenedy, String Chamber Music Coordinator at Trinity Laban, said –

“I must congratulate these four fine players on a truly outstanding achievement. It is rare for any quartet to reach this standard in only a few months, especially in such musically and technically demanding repertoire – all the more credit to them!”

The CAVATINA Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition is held annually in memory of Pamela Majaro, Gerard Heller and Rosemary Rapaport. String quartets alternate annually with piano trios to compete for the prizes, which are endowed by CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust and the Elias Fawcett Trust.

For more information visit the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust website