Mendelssohn on Mull Films 2021 – 2024

In September 2021 I was delighted to be invited to spend time with the Doric String Quartet and Mendelssohn on Mull to document their process here on Mull and Iona.
This has lead to a collaboration over the last years where I’ve spent time with the lead quartet, with The Maxwell String Quartet taking over the position from the Doric in 2024, and the students lucky enough to study with them.
Each year we’ve explored a different aspect of Mendelssohn on Mull’s work and how it helps to stoke the desire for chamber music in both the young musicians and their audiences.

2021

Our first film together was The Journey, which sets the context of Mendelssohn on Mull’s work here on the Isles of Mull and Iona. I also filmed a series of concerts around the island for the project.

2022
In 2022 we looked at the importance of rehearsal. I also filmed a series of concerts around the island for the project.

2023

In 2023 we looked at the importance of repertoire in the development of a quartet’s work.

2024

In 2024 we chose to look more broadly at the nature of Mendelssohn on Mull’s work and welcomed the arrival of the Maxwell String Quartet as lead artists, two of whom had studied with the project in their youth. To have graduates of the project come back and be lead artists was a wonderful thing to document and shows the strength of Mendelssohn on Mull’s work and how important it is in the development of the chamber music scene.

It’s always a delight to work on this project.
I love going along to the concerts without my camera and just enjoying the music. Getting to see how the musicians connect with their audiences after seeing under the skin of the project each year is a real treat.