2021 has been the final year of the current CGHS string quartet, consisting of Charlotte Cotton, Kate Gardiner, Heather Paget, and Charlie Roberts, tutored by Anne Clark.

To start the year, we focused on preparing for the annual NZCT Chamber Music Contest, which we performed at in June. With our group named ‘Strings Upon Avon,’ we played the first movement of Dvorak’s ‘American’ String Quartet No. 12. In the weekend before this performance we had the opportunity to perform some pieces (including a lovely solo by Kate!) for the residents at the Hoon Hay Dementia Care Unit, particularly for ex-CGHS music teacher, Ellen Doyle. We really enjoyed being able to meet with Ms Doyle again, and it also provided us with a valuable opportunity to practise performing our competition piece in front of an audience. Over the year we also learnt some shorter, popular classical pieces, and even joined with Sera Cox (Clarinet) to play a movement from a Mozart Clarinet Quintet. To finish off four wonderful years of playing together, we spent our last two weekly rehearsals of the year performing in the beautiful gardens of Mona Vale, for any passersby to listen to!