Eclectica! is a brand new project which redifines the 'string quartet'. Replacing the 2nd violin and the viola with two guitars, this outfit has the groove and drive of the ‘D’Agostino & Oxley’ guitar duo with the soaring lyricism from two of the world's finest string players. Eclectica! comprises:

Bernard Gregor-Smith Cello

Lizzie Ball Violin

Luis D’Agostino Guitar

Pete Oxley Guitar

The repertoire aims to deliver – needless to say – an eclectic progamme based around music from the Americas, primarily South America. Included will be tangos from Argentina, sambas from Brazil, standards from North America and works by Joni Mitchell from Canada. In addition, there will be some Eastern European music including the wonderful Kodály duo for violin and cello.

Bernard Gregor-Smith will be no stranger to anybody that has just the mildest interest in string quartets. He was the founder member of the world famous Lindsay Quartet and remained consistently in this ensemble for 40 years! His legacy from the Lindsay's alone notches up more than 80 recordings, many of which are considered to be classics in the canon. Since the Lindsay's final concert in July 2005, Bernard has been much in demand and has already become a member of the Dante Quartet and the Primrose Quartet.

Lizzie Ball’s massively varied career fully qualifies her inclusion into a group named Eclectica! Since her graduation from Cambridge University in 2002, she has performed chamber music with The Covent Garden Soloists, the Chilingirian Quartet, Bernard Gregor-Smith, Huw Watkins (piano/composer), Morgan Syzmanski (guitar) and Elizabeth Watts (soprano). Orchestral credits include The Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra and The Britten Sinfonia. Lizzie is no stranger to South American music, performing regularly with her latin trio Classico Latino. Her ability to improvise has led her to notable work in the jazz and commercial field. She was principal violinist for the Simply Red tour in Autumn 2005, where they played to audiences of 36,000 people around Europe for 3 months.

Luis D’Agostino is a virtuoso player whose styles span the spectrum from the flashiest of rock music's shenanigans to the most subtle and sensitive jazz interpretations. Between 1983 and 1995, Luis – in his guise of feisty rock star – toured extensively through Latin-America and Europe with bands of the popular “New Song” movement. He then moved to LA and studied with Scott Henderson and latterly with guitar legend Joe Diorio before becoming Director of the Yamaha School of Popular Music in Argentina. Luis continues to work as a ‘demonstrator’ for Yamaha guitars. As a thoroughly well versed jazzer, Luis has won plaudits from the press such as this succinct quote from Rolling Stone: "...D'Agostino is a consummate chord-melody stylist".

Pete Oxley ...Er, see the rest of my website!

Eclectica! will perform at the Astor Theatre, Deal, in Kent on Friday 14th December and again at the beautiful Holywell Music Room in Oxford on Saturday 15th December.

Tickets are now available. For the Astor Theatre: 01304 363972 or on line: www.astor.freewebspace.com

For the Holywell Music Room: The Oxford Playhouse: 01865 305305 or on line: www.ticketsoxford.com