Reiko Fujisawa (piano) and the Carducci String Quartet

Acclaimed pianist Reiko Fujisawa and the award winning Carducci Quartet join forces in a wide ranging programme featuring two works of huge emotional power – in the first half, Shostakovich's Piano Quintet in preceded by the little heard Poem by Rebecca Clarke. In the second half we hear Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat, which he dedicated to his beloved wife Clara.

Described by The Strad as presenting ‘a masterclass in unanimity of musical purpose, in which severity could melt seamlessly into charm, and drama into geniality’, the award-winning Carducci Quartet is internationally acclaimed as one of the most accomplished and versatile ensembles of today. In 2016 they were awarded a Royal Philharmonic Society Award for their project, Shostakovich15, an immense cycle of Shostakovich’s Quartets performed across the UK, North and South America with a marathon one day cycle hosted by Shakespeare’s Globe, London.

Reiko’s playing has been described by The Guardian as ‘beautifully poised’ and by The Times as ‘a total joy’. She fuses the sensibilities of a musician raised in the Far East who trained in the West and has recently completed a successful series of concerts around the UK celebrating the life and work of Clara Schumann, including a near sell-out performance at Southbank Centre. Her debut CD, on the Quartz label, was awarded four stars by BBC Music Magazine and was described as ‘irresistible’ by The Arts Desk.