String Quartet at Chiddingstone Castle for the VdH Rally

Premiere String Quartet recently returned to Chiddingstone Castle in Kent, providing live music for the arrival and lunch at the VdH Rally. Performing as a string quartet at Chiddingstone Castle, we played a varied programme of classical, light and pop music during the afternoon, providing music for guests as they arrived and later during lunch in the marquee behind the castle. For more information about the ensembles available for events across Kent, visit our string quartet page or explore our duo and trio options.

Live music for the VdH Rally at Chiddingstone Castle

The event brought guests together at Chiddingstone Castle for an afternoon of cars, lunch and live music.

Our performance covered two main parts of the event: the arrival of guests and lunch in the marquee behind the castle. Rather than using a single style of music throughout, we played a mixture of classical pieces, lighter repertoire and pop arrangements.

This type of programme works well for an event where music needs to provide a continuous backdrop without becoming the main focus of the occasion.

Premiere String Quartet has an extensive repertoire covering classical, pop, film, lounge and other styles, allowing the programme to be adapted to the type of event and audience.

Music in the grounds of Chiddingstone Castle

Chiddingstone Castle is a historic house and museum in Kent, set within grounds that include woodland, a lake and views across the surrounding countryside. The castle also hosts private events, group visits and other functions.

For the VdH Rally, the musicians were positioned in the marquee behind the castle for lunch. This provided a practical setting for the quartet, while allowing the music to continue as guests moved through the event.

The combination of an outdoor setting and a covered marquee is also a useful example of why the performance space needs to be considered when planning live music. For outdoor performances, Premiere String Quartet requires a suitable covered area for the musicians, as well as seating. Our event FAQs provide further information about practical requirements.

A varied repertoire for an afternoon event

The music for the VdH Rally included three broad styles:

• Classical music
• Light and easy-listening repertoire
• Popular music arranged for string quartet

This mixture allowed the programme to change naturally throughout the afternoon while remaining suitable for conversation and lunch.

Premiere String Quartet’s repertoire is not limited to traditional classical music. The current repertoire includes contemporary artists, film music and other popular arrangements, and the group can also arrange particular requests in advance. See the current repertoire.

For corporate events, rallies, private parties and other daytime occasions, this flexibility can be useful when the music needs to appeal to a mixed group of guests.

Playing for guests from Belgium

It was particularly good to meet and play for Lionel and his guests from Belgium.

After the event, Lionel left a five-star Google review:

★★★★★
“Thank you so much for the wonderful musical experience you gave us at Chiddingstone Castle! It was absolutely superb!”

String quartet, trio or duo for an event?

Although this event was performed by the quartet, Premiere String Quartet also performs as a string trio and string duo, depending on the size and requirements of the event.

A quartet consists of two violins, viola and cello and provides the fullest sound of the three formats. It can be particularly suitable for larger spaces, receptions and events where the music needs to carry naturally across a room.

A trio uses violin, viola and cello and offers a slightly smaller setup while retaining a broad range of sound. Premiere recommends the trio for events of up to around 120 guests.

A duo, usually violin and cello, is the most compact option and can work well for smaller events and venues. Premiere recommends the duo for gatherings of up to around 80 guests.

You can compare the three options on our ensembles page, or read more about our string trio and string duo.

Live music for events in Kent

Chiddingstone Castle is one of a number of Kent venues where Premiere String Quartet provides live music for weddings, private events and corporate occasions.

We regularly perform across Kent as well as London, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex and other areas of the South East. Our Kent page provides more information about the locations we cover.

If you are organising an event and are considering live strings, the choice of ensemble and repertoire can be discussed around the venue, guest numbers, timings and type of occasion.

Contact Premiere String Quartet to discuss your event.

About Chiddingstone Castle

Chiddingstone Castle is located near Edenbridge in Kent and houses collections covering subjects including Japanese, Buddhist, Ancient Egyptian, and Stuart and Jacobite history. The castle and grounds also accommodate group visits and private events.

For information about visiting the castle, events and venue hire, visit the official Chiddingstone Castle website.