Welcome to our programme of Chamber Music concerts for 2024-25.
Concerts here in the Kettle’s Yard house offer a special experience, bringing music into this unique setting and allowing you the time to appreciate art in many forms. Even the intervals are a pleasure, with drinks available to enjoy with friends or fellow concert goers, and often a glimpse of the current exhibition. It makes for an enjoyable evening.
Justin Lee, our resourceful Chamber Music programmer, has brought together an exciting panoply of musicians including several shining young talents who will perform at Kettle’s Yard for the first time. We also welcome back old friends who have delighted us before, not least the Maxwell Quartet, who kept our spirits up by performing on film here for us in lockdown.
We start with a flourish on 10 October with the renowned Doric Quartet playing String Quartets by Beethoven and Haydn as this year’s Jim and Helen Ede Concert – an annual recognition of the importance of music to the Edes.
Concerts take place on Thursday evenings during Cambridge University term time and feature ensembles and solo performers carefully chosen to suit this unusual space.
The full concert series is listed below. Subscription tickets allow entry to all 15 Chamber Music concerts, saving you up to £120 over the year. Our experience suggests that early booking is advised!
Full Programme
10 October 2024: The Jim and Helen Eden Concert – Doric Quartet
24 October 2024: Castalian Quartet and Tim Posner, cello
31 October 2024: Sterling Elliot, cello and Gabriele Strata, piano
7 November: Trio Chagall
14 November: Alessandro Fisher, tenor and Simon Lepper, piano
21 November: Kathryn Stott, piano
23 January: The Max and Evelyn Forbes Concert – Marmen Quartet
30 January: Fidelio Trio
6 February: Maxwell Quartet
13 February: Michael Collins, clarinet and Michael McHale, piano
27 February: Astatine Piano Trio
1 May: Castalian Quartet
8 May: Peter Donohoe, piano
15 May: Adrian Bradbury, cello and Andrew West, piano
22 May: Heath Quartet
Chamber Music Subscription Ticket 2024-25
Purchase a subscription ticket to gain access into all 15 Chamber Music concerts, saving up to £120 over the year. Subscription tickets are £240 or £75 for students.
Book Tickets Now
Lubaina Himid with Magda Stawarska: Another Chance Encounter
This large-scale exhibition will debut new and recent work by Lubaina Himid (b. 1954, Zanzibar), including a series of her influential Strategy Paintings, a special installation made in collaboration with Magda Stawarska and a series of works for the Kettle’s Yard house.
Spotlight Talk: Art, Fossils and Bones
Join us for a short spotlight talk in the Kettle’s Yard house, taking a closer look at some of the natural objects in the house including fossils, bones and rocks, which Jim Ede carefully placed amongst his collection of modern art. Learn some curious facts about these objects and explore how they influence and are influenced by the collection.
Audio-Described Tour: Lubaina Himid with Magda Stawarska: Another Chance Encounter
Join us for an audio described tour of new and recent work by Lubaina Himid with Magda Stawarska: Another Chance Encounter.
Another Chance Encounter: Exhibition Tour
Join Megan Breckell Curatorial Assistant, for an introduction to the current exhibition Lubaina Himid with Magda Stawarska: Another Chance Encounter.
Spotlight Talk: The Kettle's Yard Garden
Join us for a short spotlight talk at Kettle's Yard, taking a closer look at the cottage garden. We will start in the cottage garden exploring the significance of gardening and nature to Jim and Helen Ede, before heading into the Kettle's Yard house to see some of the floral arrangements and flower paintings.
Friends Event: Visit to the Government Art Collection and Studio of Conservator Rebecca Gregg
Join the Friends for a morning visit to the Government Art Collection followed by an afternoon visit to the studio of painting conservator Rebecca Gregg.
Friends Event: Visit to the Government Art Collection and Studio of Conservator Rebecca Gregg
Join the Friends for a morning visit to the Government Art Collection followed by an afternoon visit to the studio of painting conservator Rebecca Gregg.
Guided House Tour
Join one of our knowledgeable Visitor Assistants for an introductory guided tour of the Kettle’s Yard house.
Panel Discussion and Film Screening: What Matters
Join us for a panel discussion and screening of Josh Bilton's short film What Matters. The discussion will also mark the launch of Bilton's I Felt I was a Bird, a publication created in response to the film.
Film Screening: What Matters
Josh Bilton's short film 'What Matters' will be screened on repeat, as part of the Cambridge: Rivers of Film Festival. Head up to the Ede Room on the second floor to drop in and enjoy the 7-minute film.
Friends-only Hours
Join us for our exclusive Friends-only hours on the last Sunday of every month and visit the house before it opens to the public.
Studio Sunday: Relaxed Session
Join us for a relaxed Studio Sunday session aimed at children and families with additional sensory needs.
Studio Sunday
Unlock your creativity at our free, artist-led workshops for families in the Clore Learning Studio.
Panel Discussion and Book Launch: Of Bitterness, Doubt and Neglect: Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska, Kettle’s Yard and history’s shadows
Join us for a panel discussion on the literary works and life of Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska and the launch of a new anthology of her writings. The panel is chaired by Dr Inga Fraser, Senior Curator of the House and Collection and includes writer and researcher, Juliette Bretan; Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex, Patricia Gillies; and British-Polish artist, Ania Ready.
Early Years Studio
Early Years Studio is a fun, creative, immersive experience for children aged 0–4.
New Music
We are excited to be planning four more New Music concerts at Kettle’s Yard in 2024. Our New Music Curator, BBC Radio 3’s Tom McKinney will reprise his success of his 2024 season bringing us more of the top talent and excitement in New Music today. Performers will be announced later in the year on our website (as above). Be brave and expand your musical horizons!
Student Music
We are delighted to welcome the best student performers to play at Kettle’s Yard. On Thursday 28 November 2024 we will host the first of these concerts, with another in the spring term on Thursday 13 March 2025.
Keep an eye on our website and social media for the latest information.
