Since their first appearance in Kelso in 2013 when they came as Tunnell Award winners, The Castalian Quartet has adopted a new leader, Sini Simonen a wonderful violinist from Finland and since when they have been taken under the wing of YCAT – the Young Concert Arts Trust – who foster some of the finest young musical talents in the UK and from further afield.  Their second violin, Daniel Roberts, was a student at Kelso High School before going on to St.Marys in Edinburgh.

Over the last three years they have won top prizes at major international competitions including 3rd Prize at the 2016 Banff International Quartet Competition (where they were the only European quartet to progress to the live rounds), 1st Prize and three special awards at the 2015 Lyon International Competition, and in 2013 1st Prize and the Audience Prize at the Kammermusik Hannover Next Generation Competition. In 2016 they were selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust .

The Quartet has performed widely throughout Europe. Engagements this season include recitals at Wigmore Hall,  in Hitzacker, in Hannover, in Frankfurt (broadcast by NDR), the Festival de Musique de Conques in France, Festival Autunno Musicale near Naples and Turin Chamber Music Series.  They return to Aldeburgh and will be Artist in Residence at the Festival Musique d’Été à Suzette near Avignon. They continue to give recitals throughout the UK.