Forthcoming Modulation #1 concert will feature moving images alongside contemporary compositions on board Isle Of Dogs floating venue
Diego Barraza
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The work of the Modulus Quartet comes with significant, literal depth.
They’ve performed down mines and in natural caves as well as down Sir Marc Brunel’s Thames Tunnel shaft at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe and on floating nightclub Thekla in Bristol – taking newly wrought music out of concert halls and into unusual spaces around the UK.
In July, the ensemble are set to play their first concert at Theatreship on the Isle Of Dogs with the depths of West India South Dock below.
“Our whole project is to champion composers who are writing for string quartet and want to get their music heard – that’s our core ethos,” said Craig Stratton who plays second violin in Modulus.
“We like to perform in unusual venues to keep that contemporary feel.
“We also feature film in our concerts, which accompanies much of the music and is specific to the pieces we’re playing.
“Rather than having programme notes in the audience’s hands, we also like to showcase the composers themselves on video describing their pieces.
“It gives people a personal connection with the composer – we like our concerts to really be a team event featuring the composers, the filmmakers and us.
“We rehearse the pieces with the composers before we play them and develop these collaborations and connections.”
Modulus Quartet: a platform for new music
Modulus comprises Craig, Jonathan Truscott on violin, James Hogg on viola and nick Allen on cello, with the ensemble releasing its first album – 12 Seconds Of Light in 2017.
“The four of us have known each other for a few decades, having graduated from music colleges around the world.
“I was in Prague, John was in Romania, Nick was in London and I met James on a course in Vienna in the mid 1990s,” said Craig.
“We’ve all known each other in past endeavours and concerts, but I guess we formed Modulus because we all have a similar outlook.
“We thought: ‘There are plenty of quartets out there playing Beethoven and Mozart, why don’t we play music people haven’t heard?’.
“That way we’ve been able to showcase the work of budding composers and established writers who don’t get enough performance time on stage.”
more than a concert
Modulus are currently working on a second album, Evolutional, set to be released later this year, which includes pieces by Eliot Lloyd Short and Veera Lummi – composers whose work will also be played by the quartet during their first performance at Theatreship – Modulation #1 – on July 18, 2025.
This will also feature music by Nicholas De Carlo, Malcolm Lindsay and Siobhan Connellan.
“I’ve actually just interviewed Siobhan for the video that will be used as part of the performance and in promotional material in the run-up to the concert,” said Craig.
“We’ll be playing her piece August on the night.
“Another highlight will be a work by South African composer Eliot Lloyd Short – it’s in three movements and is really great, slightly minimalist but music that goes down well.
“Audiences can expect not just to sit down and listen, but to have an experience in an unusual venue with film and composer interaction.
“All your senses will be stimulated in what is an intimate venue – we like to talk to our audiences too.
“We want to build a community of composers and listeners that we hope will turn into something really interesting.
“We felt Theatreship itself would be a great venue for that and we’ll be doing at least two concerts there, this one in July and another in October.
“We have plenty of music to show the world and then we’d love to have an ongoing residence at the venue in the future.”
key details: Modulus Quartet at Theatreship
The Modulation #1 programme is set to be performed at Theatreship on the Isle Of Dogs by Modulus Quartet on July 18, 2025, from 8pm-9.30pm.
Tickets cost £23.66 and are on sale now. The second concert, Modulation #2, will take place on October 17, 2025.
Find out more about the first concert here
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