Northern Chords Festival: Bach and Schubert

Time

7.30-9.30pm

Price

£15 general admission 

Free for under 25s and students

£40 festival pass

Booking

Pre-booking essential.

Northern Chords' Artistic Director Jonathan Bloxham joins four friends and colleagues to perform one of the most iconic pieces of chamber music ever written – Schubert’s “Cello Quintet”. In the first half, violinist Benjamin Baker, who has played with the most famous orchestras in the world, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, will perform Bach’s iconic Second Partita. It includes the famous Chaconne, a work with profound emotional depth and intricate variations, which evokes rich storytelling also found in works of art. A perfect piece to perform in the Laing Art Gallery.

Programme:

• J.S.Bach Partita for Solo Violin No.2 in D minor (including Chaconne)
• Interval
• F. Schubert  String Quintet in C major 

Musicians:

• Benjamin Baker violin
• Ruth Rogers violin
• Benjamin Roskams viola
• Thomas Carroll cello
• Jonathan Bloxham cello

Jonathan Bloxham, Founder and Artistic Director of Northern Chords Festival, discovered the cello while still at primary school in the North East. His talent was fostered and encouraged by the Gateshead Schools Music Service and he began to consider becoming a professional musician. At the age of 16, he left the region to study with some of the best young musicians at the world-renowned Yehudi Menuhin School, followed by the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He is now an internationally renowned conductor and has worked with orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hallé, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and has conducted opera at Glyndebourne several times. 

Aged just 20, Jonathan was keen to return to the region that had nurtured his talent. In 2008, he decided to start Northern Chords with the dual aim of bringing some of the most talented young musicians in the world to inspire more local youngsters and amateur musicians to follow their dreams and to develop their own musical talents, and to delight and excite local audiences with concerts, programmes, and musicians that they wouldn’t otherwise get to hear in their area. 

Jonathan says: 'It is a great joy for the festival to return to perform at the Laing Art Gallery. I've always found that performing classical music surrounded by art creates a unique synergy, where the visual beauty of the artwork enhances the emotional depth of the music, allowing both forms to elevate each other and immerse the audience in a more profound sensory experience. 

'On June 28th 2025, we will present two of the greatest musical masterpieces. Violinist Benjamin Baker, who I met studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School, has played with the most famous orchestras in the world, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He will perform Bach's iconic Second Partita, with the famous Chaconne, a piece with profound emotional depth and intricate variations, which evokes rich storytelling also found in works of art. In the second part, I will join four wonderful musicians, including the leader of the London Mozart Players, in Schubert's Cello Quintet, composed in 1828 and hailed as one of the pinnacles of classical music. The work's contrasting themes and tonal shifts can evoke vivid imagery, much like a painting's interplay of light, shadow, and colour. It would be a pleasure to welcome you at this very special evening.'