A Musical Memoire: Launching FAMA Music Festival

Presenting three mature string quartets all written in 1976, one each by Elisabeth Lutyens, Elizabeth Maconchy, and Benjamin Britten.

The Maconchy Quartet explore the world of these three English composers in music and through the words of Lutyens herself. Nearly 100 of her notebooks were acquired by the British Library in 2018 and the Quartet showcases this special collection.

Britten, Maconchy, and Lutyens crossed paths while studying at London’s prestigious Royal College of Music, parted ways after their time studying, yet stayed closely linked through the MacNaghten-Lemare Concerts in London. By 1976, these three composers had lived different lives and collected their own sets of life stories which are expressed in unique musical languages.

This event launches of the forthcoming inaugural FAMA Music Festival. Through showcasing special collections such as those of the British Library, the Festival highlights undiscovered works of music, while raising awareness of issues surrounding inclusivity within cultural, artistic, and scholarly communities.