‘Vibrant and expressive’ quartet to join this year’s festival

Organisers of the annual celebration of the life and music of Worcestershire’s most famous composer have announced an internationally renowned quartet as part of the programme.

The Elgar Festival will welcome The LANO Quartet on Saturday 23 May at 2.30pm at the Church of St Mary Magdalene at The National Trust’s Croome Court in Worcestershire.

The LANO Quartet – made up of Shuwei Zuo, Yuwen Fan, Jinhe Huang and Gen Li – was formed in 2024.  Participants in the Elgar Festival’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Young Performer Showcase Programme, The LANO Quartet is a dynamic young ensemble dedicated to expressive and thoughtful music-making performing across the UK and worldwide.

Recent engagements include the Leeds International Concert Series and the International Malcolm Arnold Festival.

The quartet has received coaching from renowned ensembles including the Kuss Quartet and the Castalian Quartet.

The quartet’s members have been recognised with numerous accolades, including the Leamington Music Prize, the Sylvia Cleaver Chamber Music Prize, the Ambache Prize, second prize at the Luigi Cerritelli International Music Competition, and, most recently, the Gold Award at the Fenix International Music Competition.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of The Elgar Festival said: “We are delighted to welcome this festival first for 2026; each member of the quartet brings a distinct musical background, enriching the quartet’s collective sound and artistic vision.  It will also offer those attending the perfect opportunity to combine exploration of Croome Court with the experience of wonderful English music performed in a perfect setting.  We look forward to welcoming you!”

Owned by the Coventry family since the 16th century, Croome has a fascinating history. Framed by the Malvern Hills, Croome is largely the 18th-century creation of George William Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry and leading architects and designers Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and Robert Adam. Later, Croome was an RAF station, a Catholic school and the UK headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Today, Croome is a testament to the genius and skill of its craftspeople, and a symbol of continuity and change.

Set in the composer’s hometown and surrounding areas over the week closest to Elgar’s birthday on 2^nd June – this year’s festival will take place from Saturday 23 May until Sunday 31 May – the festival is an annual celebration of Elgar’s music spanning symphonic and string orchestra concerts by the resident English Symphony Orchestra, along with chamber concerts, choral concerts, recitals, workshops, masterclasses, street performances, a young composers competition, exhibits, tours and talks.

Since its inauguration in 2018, when it was a Critic’s Pick in both The Guardian and The Times, the festival has doubled in size and scale and continues to grow annually through an innovative development programme of appealing and accessible events, working with hundreds of both internationally renowned professional artists and amateur musicians and performers of all ages to ensure Elgar really is for everyone.

The music of the festival’s namesake will be the centrepiece of a busy programme of 27 events across 15 different venues with 3 pre-festival events including the relaxed concerts. The full breadth of Elgar’s work will be showcased, including songs, miniatures, chamber music and choral anthems alongside his most beloved orchestral masterpieces.

This year’s festival will bring together world-class professional musicians and artists alongside local choirs and ensembles placing the music of Worcester’s most famous son alongside that of his contemporaries and some of today’s leading composers and arrangers.

For further information and to book tickets please visit www.elgarfestival.org