Concert Day with the Masquerade String Quartet

Written by Mark Chivers

Violin I Matthew Scrivener

Violin II Liz Hodson

Viola Mark Chivers

Cello Nick Stringfellow

Over a period of 15 years, Masquerade has been part of many exceptional concerts accompanying some of the most successful artists in the Classical Crossover genre.  Russell Watson, Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Alice Fearn, and Laura Wright to name but a few.

We somehow fell into the job of accompanying these great artists on the back of our Film Music and Great American Songbook concerts. Indeed, the name Masquerade, stems from the amount of musical styles we get through at the flick of a switch in a gig. (Classical to Jazz, Old Hollywood Film to Pop). What really stands out though is how similar the prep, rehearsal procedure, and general banter we have on the day of a concert is. Our mantra, as a group, has always been to give Crossover as much credence as say a Beethoven Quartet. When artists see and hear this commitment, joy, and incredibly high standards it often helps cement a long-term working relationship.

15 years together and you know colleagues’ strengths and foibles inside out, and this makes concert days amazingly easy to get through as the level of trust is always there.

The 4 of us have always traveled independently to concerts and the notorious British Road network always makes it extremely exciting as to whether we will make a 4 pm call for soundcheck on time or not. We once all dashed through the Stage Door at 6.45 pm, sound checked for 5 minutes, and then went on stage at 7.30 pm. Hopefully, no one in the audience knew, but it shows the flexibility you need as a performer, particularly in the UK where rehearsal time is at a premium.

It has always fascinated us how each artist approaches concerts, particularly as Tour budgets have become tighter. Catering is a massive thing on Tour, if it is provided, we feel happy, well-fed with beautiful food, and much less stressed having not had to dash out to a local eatery! The break between soundcheck and gig is a sacred time for the four of us. A time to relax and catch up in a restaurant or catch up on sleep (we all have kids at home!)

The closest-knit group Masquerade are part of is Russell Watson’s band. The 6 of us (Guitarist, Percussionist, and String Quartet) alongside the incomparable Pianist Mike Moran (he wrote Barcelona for Freddie Mercury) at the helm. We can be away from each other for 6 months but within a few minutes back, the banter and long-term friendships are there for all to see. 

Quite often gigs will finish at around 10.15 pm and not many people will realize that we often travel straight back home. Motorway service stations at 1 am are a common sight and getting up the next morning for the kids and the school run is always a challenge! Not such a glamourous life then?

As I pen this from my home in Buckinghamshire, just north of London, 10 weeks into the Uk’s COVID 19 lockdown, I think we all wonder where and when the next gig is going to happen. As a Quartet we have not met for 11 weeks, just fitting a day’s worth of recording for some demos in before the lockdown. The first concert back will be emotional and intense but also one of deep joy. It makes us even more determined to finish our 3rd CD, full of iconic Hollywood Film soundtracks and to never take what we do as a group for granted. As the saying goes…it is always a privilege, never a chore. Stay safe.

Mark Chivers

www.masqueradestringquartet.com

Natasha Barbieri, Editor

Editor

Creator of Classical Crossover Magazine. For Natasha music has always been closely tied to her faith. At age 18, Natasha made her opera debut playing the part of the mother in Menotti’s ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ with the Eastern Festival Opera. At 20, she was a winner of the 2011 Young Artist Competition at Andrews University. Natasha graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Music. Natasha has released a series of Holiday singles “A Place Called Home” (2020), “One Little Boy,” and “The Perfect Year” (2021). In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Future Classic Women Awards’ show on Men’s & Women’s Radio Station. Natasha is the creator and editor of ‘Classical Crossover Magazine’ a venture that has allowed her to interview many of the top stars in the genre including Sarah Brightman, Celtic Woman, Mirusia, Paul Potts, and more. During the covid-19 pandemic, she created an online concert series for the magazine that has seen her perform in the same line-up as Alex Sharpe, Lucy Kay, Barbara Padilla, Classical Reflection, and more on the virtual stage. In 2022, Natasha was included on the charity album “Stars of Classical Crossover: Christmas” in benefit of the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Charity.