Bryanston String Competition Sunday 31 January 2027 in partnership with Trinity Laban, London

Professor Nic Pendlebury

Nic has been at the forefront of the contemporary music scene for over thirty years and was the founder and violist of the Internationally acclaimed Smith Quartet. The group pioneered the development of the string quartet genre commissioning over 250 new works,collaborating with such artists as Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, Graham Fitkin, Steve Martland, Michael Daugherty, Steven Mackey, John Lord, Jarvis Cocker, Stephen Montague, Howard Skempton, Django Bates as well as dance companies Siobhan Davies and Shobana Jeyasingh. The group performed in many of the world’s most prestigious festivals and recorded albums for BMG, Sony, Decca and Signum with whom they released bestselling albums of music by Steve Reich and Philip Glass the latter being describe by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the ten most important CDs of contemporary music”. They were finalist in the Prudential Awards for the Arts and were featured in two BBC documentaries, Classic Quartets at the BBC and Holocaust; A Music Memorial Film from Auschwitz performing Steve Reich’s Different Trains which won a Grammy and a BAFTA.

In more recent years Nic’s pioneering and creative spirit has seen him create a new repertoire for the electric viola an instrument he believes has an exciting future in the ever-developing world of classical music. His stunning transcriptions of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint and Terry Riley’s Dorian Reeds feature on his album Multiple released on the Orchid Classics label and have not only received critical acclaim from audiences around the world but from the composers themselves “the idea that Electric Counterpoint would be bowed had never occurred to me. I want to thank Nic for a beautiful surprise. I was moved to tears.” Steve Reich, “I listened to your recording and it sounds so beautiful! It is a really satisfying version of the piece. Congratulations!” Terry Riley.

Other transcriptions included Thomas Tallis’ 40-part motet Spem in Alium presented for performance as an interactive Installation of forty loud-speakers within which the audience travels. The installation was developed and realised in collaboration with sound designer John-Marc Gowans and was premiered at the Sounds Festival in Aberdeen.

There are plans for a second album which will feature new commissions, including Colin Riley’s Fallen Angel a dramatic work for e viola and electronics, Dominic Murcott’s haunting Black Earth, and Hollie Harding’s interactive, immersive work Melting Shifting Liquid World which explores the theme of climate change and ocean pollution. Written for e viola, (audience worn) bone conduction headphones, electronics and string orchestra the work was premiered in 2019 at the National Maritime Museum in London. More recent works have included Eliana Eccheverry’s The Lost Planet for e viola and ensemble and Alex Groves’ (led by the heart) my feet will follow a sonic exploration of landscapes both real and imagined which was premiered at the 2024 First Light Festival.

Nic is also Head of Strings at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance where he leads one of the most dynamic faculties in Europe. As an educationalist he is in demand worldwide and has given masterclasses in Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, Scandinavia as well as several countries in Europe. As well as his educational and managerial responsibilities he conducts several of the college orchestras including the Trinity Laban String Ensemble with whom he has toured throughout Europe collaborating with many international soloists including Dmitri Ashkenazy, Darko Brlek, Rivka Golani, Mathew Trusler, William Howard, actor Edward Fox, jazz pianist Uri Caine and saxophonist Julian Argüelles with whom he and the ensemble recorded the album As above so below. Nic has also commissioned new work for the group from composers such as Paval Novak, David Matthews, Graham Fitkin, Joseph Phibbs and Douglas Finch.

Nic’s reimagining of the classical cannon has won him much praise and together with theatre director Anna Morrisey created a staged production of Vivaldi’s Seasons which touredsuccessfully throughout the UK to much acclaim and included performances at the Latitude Festival and the National maritime Museum. In 2024 Nic reunited with Anna in a dramaticstaging of John Tavener’s Protecting Veil with the celebrated cellist Raphael Wallfisch.

He is co-director of Sonic Collaborations and together with partner Colin Riley created the Cutty Sark Soundscape a new digital experience that immerses the visitor in the sounds of sailing on a tea clipper 150 years ago together with a series of new compositions. They also release their new album Ocean Songs in March 2026 together with singer Lottie P of Goat Girl and jazz trumpeter Steve Pretty of The Hackney Colliery Band. Described as “Docupop” the album tackles the subject of climate change and ocean pollution as well as ecological and mythical subject matter and features spoken contributions from author and oceanographer Helen Czerski and environmentalist George Monbiot. The album was featured as part of the 2026 Latitude Festival.

Nic was also co-artistic director of both the Greenwich International String Quartet Festivaland the Isleworth Festival and in 2018 was awarded title of Professor in recognition of his creative work and contribution to music performance and education.

Clare is a highly experienced musician, educator and school leader whose career has combined professional performance with a deep commitment to music education. Having studied viola and piano at Trinity College of Music, she enjoyed a successful freelance performing career, appearing with orchestras including the Bristol Ensemble, Orchestra of the Swan and Bath Philharmonia, alongside extensive chamber music work throughout the South of England.

Inspired by her own teachers, Clare developed a passion for education early in her career and has spent more than twenty five years nurturing young musicians as an instrumental teacher, chamber music and orchestral coach, adjudicator and classroom practitioner. She has extensive experience teaching music from Nursery through to Key Stage 3 and is widely admired for her ability to inspire confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of music in young people.

After serving as Head of Music and the Arts at a leading preparatory school in the New Forest, Clare was appointed Head of Music and Performing Arts at Wells Cathedral Prep School in 2021. Under her leadership, the department received national recognition, winning the Dynamic Performing Arts (Prep) award in the Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards 2024. Alongside her work in the Prep School, Clare also teaches within the String Department at Wells Cathedral School, helping to strengthen the artistic journey from the earliest years through to specialist study.