Classical Evening Concert | Da Vinci Quartet

Friday 5th November 2025 | 6pm - 7pm

Da Vinci Quartet

Iona Brown, (violin), Jane Nossek, (violin), Mike Gerrard, (Viola), Gabreil Waite, ('cello).

Performing string quartets by Claude Debussy and Edgar Bainton

Debussy's String Quartet was perfromed in Newcaslte in Dec 1907 by the famed Parisan Quartet as part of their UK tour

Edgar Bainton lived in Newcatle for many years and became the Principal of the Newcastle Conservatory in 1912 before finsihign his career in Austraila

Baintons String Quartet was transcibed from the original manuscript, the only extant score, by the Edgar Bainton society speically for this concert.

This event is supported by the Edgar Bainton Society

Iona Brown

Iona Brown received her early musical education in Leicestershire where she was a member of the Leicestershire Schools Youth Orchestras for seven years. She won a scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music under Christopher Rowland, Lydia Mordkovitch and Wen Zhou Li. During her studies she won three major violin prizes and also several awards for chamber music with the Laurel Piano Trio, fostering a passion for chamber music that has since come to fruition.

She has featured as soloist, leader and chamber musician over recent years. She also performs regularly with the Da Vinci String Quartet and has appeared alongside many eminent musicians most notably Bruno Pasquier, Jean-Bernard Pommier and Maurice Bourgue. She has also performed chamber music with Lars Vogt. In 2003 Iona was awarded an Arts Council grant for a sabbatical in Paris where she studied with Jean-Jacques Kantorow.

Iona is also extremely dedicated to music education, and was invited to adjudicate the preliminary rounds of Young Musician of the Year in Manchester in 2017 and 2015 . As well as private teaching, Iona is a principal tutor at the Centre for Advanced Training at Sage Gateshead, teaches for Durham University and has recently been appointed Head of Strings at Newcastle University.

Jane Nossek

Jane Nossek is Sub-Principal, 1st Violin for Royal Northern Sinfonia as well as the Da Vinci Quartert

As well as regular guest principal work with the Hallé and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Jane joined Northern Sinfonia in 2006, and was previously principal second at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for four years.

Jane is also married to Gabriel Waite, who is also performing.

Mike Gerrard

Mike Gerrard is the section leader for violas for Royal Northern Sinfonia, which he joined Royal Northern Sinfonia as principal viola in 1987 and has appeared as soloist on several occasions.

Gabriel Waite

Gabriel Waite is Sub-Principal, Cello for Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Earning a coveted place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester to study with Eduardo Vassallo.

Gabriel was a founder member of the Yeomans String Quartet while he was still with the RNCM in Manchester, who in 2001 entered the Shostakovich String Quartet competition in Moscow becoming semi-finalists.

A LIVE Lit & Phil Event | £10

(If you would prefer to book directly over the phone, please call the Library Desk team on 0191 232 0192 and they will be happy to help)

This event is supported by the Edgar Bainton Society