The Vida Guitar Quartet brings together four guitarists of exceptional
ability and virtuosity sharing a passion for chamber music. After their
spectacular debut at the first World Youth Guitar Festival in 2007, the
quartet are rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting guitar
ensembles in the UK. Vida plan to release their first CD in 2008 on the BGS
label.
Mark Ashford began his musical training at Chetham's School of Music with
Gordon Crosskey, continuing his studies as a scholarship student at the
Royal Academy of Music with Michael Lewin. After graduating as winner of
the Julian Bream prize, Mark studied with eminent guitarist David Russell.
He has been a laureate of several competitions, including BBC Radio Two's
Young Musician and the Guitar Foundation of America and has performed with
orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, with whom he has recently released a CD of Rodrigo's 'Concierto
de Aranjuez'.
Helen Sanderson studied guitar at the Royal College of Music with Charles Ramirez, graduating with both the Madeline Walton prize for guitar and the prestigious Anthony Saltmarsh Bursary. Her active concert career has
included concerts at major international guitar festivals and recitals at
the Purcell Room, St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Academy of Arts (Berlin), the
British Embassy (Vienna), and the Barbican Centre. In addition to her solo
performing, Helen is also much in demand as an accompanish for voice and
guitar repertoire, and works in partnerships with the tenor Mark Wilde,
Susan Legg (mezzo-soprano), and the eminent countertenor James Bowman.
Mark Eden and Christopher Stell, better known as the Eden Stell Guitar Duo, are acknowledged to be one of the finest and most innovative guitar duos in
the world. Their dynamic performances have won great acclaim and delighted
audiences whether they are performing a baroque transcription or a new
contemporary commission. The duo have recorded six CD's and are the only
guitarists since Julian Bream to receiving an 'Editors Choice' in Gramophone
Magazine. Mark and Chris graduated from the Royal Academy as recipients of
the Principal's Prize for Achievement and the Julian Bream Prize, and then
continued their studies in Brussels with the Brazilian Guitar Duo, Sérgio
and Odair Assad with the aid of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
Selected for the Park Lane Group's Young Artists' Concert Series and winners
of the South East Musicians' Platform, they have given many recitals at the
Purcell Room and the Wigmore Hall, and have subsequently been invited to
perform there by music organisations such as 'Live Music Now!', the Kirckman
Concert Society, and Classical Guitar Magazine. Mark and Chris were elected
Associates of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of their performing
achievements and both hold teaching positions at the Birmingham
Conservatoire and Royal College of Music.
Vida Guitar Quartet play Christopher Dean guitars and use D'Addario strings.
The Vida Guitar Quartet brings together four guitarists of exceptional
ability and virtuosity sharing a passion for chamber music. After their
spectacular debut at the first World Youth Guitar Festival in 2007, the
quartet are rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting guitar
ensembles in the UK. Vida plan to release their first CD in 2008 on the BGS
label.