Join us for our NEW world music events 'eclectics' Entry is free with optional donations towards the musicians.

For our first live music performance we welcome The London Mandolin Quartet. LMQ consists of four members of the London Mandolin Ensemble, and is the UK's only classical mandolin quartet. The quartet has a wide repertoire, ranging from Baroque to contemporary music.

Anna Lombardi (mandolin), Ryan Chan (guitar), Tom Smith (guitar) and Maxine Wiltshire (mandolin) are all classically trained musicians who have studied at conservatoire level, and also with virtuoso mandolinists Dorina Frati, Carlo Aonzo, Alon Sariel, Michele de Martino, Sebastiaan de Grebber, Alison Stephens, and guitarists Laura Snowden and Adam Marec.

They have performed individually and as a quartet in the UK, USA, Germany, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, Luxembourg and Italy.

https://www.londonmandolinensemble.org.uk

MANDOLINS AT CRYSTAL PALACE

The late 1900’s was the Golden Era for mandolins in the UK. In 1892 B.M. Jenkins became a mandolin and guitar teacher at The Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster) and at the People’s Palace (now Queen Mary, University of London).

He founded The Polytechnic and People’s Palace Mandolin Band, which performed at Crystal Palace in 1899, with 150 performers. The photo, taken on the steps of Crystal Palace during the afternoon before the concert, shows 92 members of the orchestra, before other players joined them for the evening concert.

https://www.londonmandolinensemble.org.uk/blog/bm- jenkins-musician-1868-1931