Preview: The Navarra Quartet

The young and dynamic Navarra Quartet is appearing in Harrogate next month after last year’s performance was cancelled when one of the violinists injured his hand after tripping over a cat.

Now with Magnus Johnston’s hand mended, the quartet is looking forward to playing for the Sunday Series at the Old Swan Hotel. While the series’ host, Harrogate International Festivals celebrates its 50th anniversary, the quartet is marking the third year of its own festival in the small town of Weesp, near Amsterdam, where viola player Simone van der Giessen’s family live.

“Festivals are amazing and it is wonderful that Harrogate has been going for half a century,” says van der Giessen. “We are delighted to be playing again in Yorkshire. We always thought about having our own festival. When we played a concert in the church in my parents’ town there was such a lovely warm and intimate atmosphere and great acoustics that we decided to hold it there. I love being able to create our own programme and invite the people we want to collaborate with.”

The string quartet was formed in 2002 when Magnus Johnston, violin, Marije Johnson, violin and Brian O’Kane, cello, were studying with Simone at the Royal Northern College of Music. Their mentors were Alasdair Tait and the late Christopher Rowland.

“The students were all placed in quartets so we played together and didn’t want to stop when we graduated,” says Simone. “We had such exceptional teachers who really inspired us when we were at the college. We teach at the Birmingham Conservatoire and try and pass on that passion to the next generation. I find a lot of young people are really passionate about classical music.”

The Navarra Quartet’s development continued with studies in Cologne with the Alban Berg Quartet, Pro-Quartet in Paris, the International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove and from residencies at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh and at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland.

They have won many prizes and accolades including the Florence International Chamber Music Competition and their recordings have been critically acclaimed.

The quartet has appeared at major venues throughout the world including the Wigmore Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, and international festivals such as Bath and the BBC Proms.

Like all musicians of their prominence they have a punishing schedule of touring. But Simone has found a way to combat some of the stresses and challenges of travel, rehearsal and performance. “I used to always do things too quickly and I was hyperactive and then tired,” Simone says. “Then I discovered yoga, which has really given me stability in my hectic life. I attend a group and the mediation and breathing is done to my own rhythm and pace. This has really helped my performance too. I am always trying to persuade the others in the quartet to take up it up. But so far it is just me.”

The Navarra Quartet, February 7, the Old Swan Hotel at 11am. For tickets visit www.harrogate-internationalfestivals.com or call the box office on 01423 562303.