Fretwork

Continuo Foundation grantee
Supported by Continuo Foundation
They have expanded their repertory to include music from over 500 years, from the first printed consort music in Venice in 1501 to music written this year. And, in between, everything that can be played on a consort of viols - Byrd & Schubert, Purcell & Shostakovitch, Gibbons & Britten, Dowland & Grieg.
While they used to fly all over the globe, they have now committed to reducing their carbon footprint by travelling in Europe only by train or electric cars - recently, they have toured Germany, France, Spain, Austria & Slovenia in their two Teslas.
The future sees many exciting projects based on the thrilling juxtaposition of old and new; making the experience of old music new and bringing the sensibilities of past ages to bear on contemporary music.
Biography
"Fretwork is the finest viol consort on the planet" - Stephen Pettitt, The London Evening Standard.Fretwork has been around for getting on for 40 years, performing music old and new, and look forward to a challenging and exciting future as the world's leading consort of viols.
They have expanded their repertory to include music from over 500 years, from the first printed consort music in Venice in 1501 to music written this year. And, in between, everything that can be played on a consort of viols - Byrd & Schubert, Purcell & Shostakovitch, Gibbons & Britten, Dowland & Grieg.
While they used to fly all over the globe, they have now committed to reducing their carbon footprint by travelling in Europe only by train or electric cars - recently, they have toured Germany, France, Spain, Austria & Slovenia in their two Teslas.
The future sees many exciting projects based on the thrilling juxtaposition of old and new; making the experience of old music new and bringing the sensibilities of past ages to bear on contemporary music.
Musicians
- Emilia BenjaminViola da Gamba, Violin
- Jo LevineViola da Gamba, Viols
- Jonathan ReesCello, Viola da Gamba
- Richard BoothbyViols
- Sam Stadlen
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Upcoming Concerts

Faire is the Rose
Sat, 11 October 2025
Douai Abbey, Reading
6:30pm
£25 (conc. available)

Evensong
Thu, 23 October 2025
Trinity College, Cambridge
6:15pm
Free

Fretwork Viol Consort
Sat, 1 November 2025
Tetbury Goods Shed
7:30pm
£24 (under 25s £5)
Hawkwood College

'...randy for antique'
Sat, 1 November 2025
The Tetbury Goods Shed
7:30pm
£24

A concert to celebrate the life of Archbishop Parker
Mon, 10 November 2025
Parker Library, Corpus Christi College
7:30pm
TBC

Take Five
Tue, 3 February 2026
The Crucible Playhouse, Sheffield
7:30pm
£23
Music in the Round

Dowland: Lachrimae
Sun, 22 February 2026
Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton
7:30pm
TBC

Dowland
Tue, 3 March 2026
Milton Court Concert Hall, London
7:30pm
£18 - £40
Barbican Centre & Milton Court
Past programmes

À la recherche du temps perdu
Sun, 5 October 2025
Charlbury Memorial Hall
3:00pm
£18
Charlbury Refugee Action Group

Sublime Calculations
Thu, 11 September 2025
Temple Church, London
7:30pm
£5 - £40
Temple Music Foundation

My Days - Orlando Gibbons and Nico Muhly
Fri, 4 July 2025
Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, U. of York
6:30pm
£35 / £40
York Early Music Festival
- ➕3 other performances

O Clap Your Hands
Sat, 28 June 2025
Cirencester Parish Church
7:00pm
£20 (u18s and students £5)

A Baroque Feast
Mon, 2 June 2025
St Andrew's Church, Grinton
7:30pm
£25 (u25s £3)
Swaledale Festival

Orlando Gibbons & William Byrd
Tue, 25 February 2025
Keble College Chapel, Oxford
7:30pm
£10 - £35
Keble Early Music Festival

My Days
Sat, 22 February 2025
St Luke's Church, Battersea
7:30pm
£15-£20
St Luke's Music Society

Bach's The Art of Fugue
Tue, 11 February 2025
Holy Trinity Church, London
5:45pm
Free
Imperial College Rush Hour Concert Series

Orlando Gibbons and Thomas Lupo
Sun, 19 January 2025
Stapleford Granary
3:00pm
£24 / £12 (under 25)