Beer and Beethoven at Rye

The Piatti Quartet are ‘in residence’ at the Rye Arts Festival for a week, playing a series of concerts in Rye and Iden that are already selling out fast, but for one night you can simply turn up to the pub at Landgate and enjoy the music for free.

The professional string quartet normally perform in concert halls around the world, and this free gig is a first for them. Jessie Ann Richardson, cellist with the Piatti, says: “We don’t play down the local pub every Sunday but we had this idea to try and bring a string quartet into a different setting and we are very excited about it!

Jonathan Breeds, landlord of the Queens Head, said: “It’s a nice idea and I’m really looking forward to it.

“I think an arts festival should be all about offering people the chance to see and hear things they wouldn’t otherwise.

“I can safely say there can’t be many people in Rye who have listened to a string quartet play classical music in a pub.”

Jessie Ann adds: “We hope to reach a new audience and to possibly show people that a string quartet is not as inaccessible as they may think... and that even music they think is inaccessible, can be fun to listen to when live, and when having a drink.”

Peter Brice, director of classical music at Rye Arts Festival, says: “This is an exciting and fun departure for both the Festival and the Quartet. It will provide people with a chance to get a taster of classical music over a pint.

“While the evening is called Beer and Beethoven, there’s always a chance that a little Brahms and Liszt could appear on the programme.”

For more information on the full programme of all events at this year’s, Festival, including downloadable application forms, go to www.ryeartsfestival.co.uk. Postal and online bookings for ticketed events are already open as is the Box Office for in-person bookings at Phillips & Stubbs in Cinque Ports St, Rye from 9.30am to 1pm on Mondays to Saturdays until 27th September.Otherwise call 01797 224442.