Saturday 14th February 2026 1:45pm – 2:30pm
Anita Naughton, 1st violin, Helen Tonge, 2nd violin,
Allison Calderbank, viola and Illona Hepburn, cello
Programme
Mozart String Quartet No.20 in D major, KV499
- Allegretto in D major
- Menuetto in D major
- Adagio in G major
- Allegro in D major
Gardel Tomo Y Obligo
Haydn String Quartet in E-flat major, Op.33 No.2, Hob.III:38 “The Joke”
- Allegro moderato
- Scherzo: Allegro
- Largo sostenuto
- Presto
Biographies
Anita Naughton – first violin
Anita began playing the violin at the age of 9, having lessons at school before studying privately with Terry Lewis in Southport. At the age of 19 she took a gap year, taking lessons from Benedict Holland before taking up a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in 1995. After graduating in 1999, Anita enjoyed a freelance career working with orchestras such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Performing Arts Orchestra, the Halle, BBC Philharmonic and Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra.
Anita now combines her work as a freelance violinist, working regularly with professional orchestras and chamber groups in the North, with running her own busy private teaching practice. She is the leader of St Helen’s Sinfonietta, Lucia Strings, The Rowan Quartet and Bolton Symphony Orchestra. In September 2023 she performed the Dvorak Violin Concerto with Bolton Symphony Orchestra in Victoria Hall in Bolton.
Helen Tonge – second violin
Helen studied at Manchester University and the RNCM and, as a member of the Rivoli Quartet, completed a Masters in String Quartet Performance at Sheffield University with Peter Cropper of the Lindsays. Aside from chamber music playing, she works with various orchestras including Manchester Camerata, Sinfonia Viva, Skipton Camerata, Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, The Brigantes and the Novello Orchestra. She is leader of the New Classical Players and Cheshire Sinfonia and has guest-led Blackburn, Wilmslow and Stockport Symphony Orchestras. Solo performances have included the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Tonbridge Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Lark Ascending With Cheshire Sinfonia, as well as duo work with composer-pianist Richard Whalley. Helen teaches violin at Bolton School and Altrincham Grammar School for Boys.
Allison Calderbank – viola
Allison is an experienced orchestral and chamber player. She has regularly freelanced with the Hallé Orchestra for over 10 years and currently performs with the Eberle String Trio, the Calderbank Duo and Lucia Strings. She has been the viola player in the Stonebridge Quartet and the Highgate Wedding Quartet and also plays with What The Pluck wedding trio and quartet. She currently plays in the viola sections at St Helens Sinfonietta, Liverpool Concert Orchestra and Lakeland Sinfonia. She has led the violas in the Haffner Orchestra and the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra prior to attending the RNCM in 2009, where she qualified with a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance before turning professional. She is also a qualified Chartered Accountant and is Senior Tax Manager in a Wirral accountancy and tax practice, combining both her music and accountancy careers and enjoying both!
Ilona Hepburn – first cello
Ilona began playing cello aged 9, and studied at Chethams School of Music, followed by the Royal Northern College of Music, and a scholarship for postgraduate cello studies in Chicago. Ilona enjoys a varied performing career, most notably performing for the late Queen, and for the Pope, television appearances, and touring with Russell Watson. Chamber music is at the heart of much of Ilona’s performing, appearing regularly across the Northwest with her chamber group Lucia Strings, interspersed with orchestral work, and solo appearances with orchestras, performing Schumann cello concerto, and Vivaldi double concerto. Being passionate about passing on a love of music to the next generation, Ilona enjoys teaching and is the Founder and Director of an annual summer music course for young players, called Summer Sounds, as well as tutoring for the Benedetti Foundation.
In next week’s concert on 21st February we welcome students from Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM – Tom Hughes, French horn, Grace Hughes, violin, Evan Watkinson, piano and Alex Booty, piano.
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