Modulus Quartet specialises in performing original string quartet repertoire written in close collaboration with a number of international composers. Drawing on its collective experience, the quartet seeks out music of an individual style, developing creative relationships with composers and artists. The quartet explores new ways of presenting music, performing in unusual venues and incorporating visual arts and multi-media technology.

 

Modulus released their debut album, 12 Seconds of Light, in 2017, featuring music by composers Terry Davies, Veera Lummi, Ash Madni, Richard Norris, Eliot Lloyd Short and Matthew Slater. The tour to promote the album took in a variety of unusual locations including Honister Slate Mine in the Lake District and Carnglaze Cavern in Cornwall. Visuals were created by videographers Tom Brown and Diego Barraza. The tour was supported by Arts Council England and the quartet was featured on BBC Spotlight South West. Modulus subsequently toured the album in Romania in 2019 as well as performing other new works in the UK and making appearances on London Live and BBC Radio 3’s In Tune.. In collaboration with the Charlie Pyne Quartet they premiered new scores, by Terry Davies, for three 1920s silent Surrealist films at the Crucible Theatre for the 2019 Sheffield DocFest.

 

As with many artistic groups, the global pandemic put a temporary halt on plans, however since 2022 the quartet has been busy working on several projects: recording Sensoria, a multi-media collaboration with composer Richard Norris; recording Veera Lummi’s Tide Within for the film short Burning Gold directed by Matt McDermott; recording the strings for Veera Lummi’s solo vocal album Liminal; working with students at Eastbourne College; premiering The Gagarin Quartets by Nicholas de Carlo at Ramsgate Festival of Sound and subsequently performing them on International Day of Human Space Flight at the Brunel Museum in London.

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The quartet are busy preparing material for their second album, Evolutional, to be released in 2024 featuring works by Eliot Lloyd Short, Maria Muraru, Richard Norris, Malcolm Lindsay, Roger May and Veera Lummi. They will also be recording The Gagarin Quartets in January 2024 as well as using that music as the inspiration for Newham Music’s Youth Ensemble Scheme during 2024 and 2025. Both Evolutional and The Gagarin Quartets will be performed on tour in 2024.