The Crystal Palace String Quartet was founded by graduates of Britains top music colleges. Their shared passion for chamber music allowed them to acquire an extensive repertoire and to gain experience in providing live music for all kinds of events, ranging from weddings, civil partnerships, parties and corporate functions to band music, sessions, and TV. Their repertoire ranges from baroque to pop and covers nearly every imaginable genre in between. *Stylish, Elegant and Outstanding musicians - The Crystal Palace String Quartet*

The Crystal Palace String Quartet was founded by graduates of Britain's top music colleges. Their shared passion for chamber music allowed them to acquire an extensive repertoire and to gain experience in providing live music for all kinds of events, ranging from weddings, civil partnerships, parties and corporate functions to band music, sessions, and TV. Their repertoire ranges from baroque to pop and covers nearly every imaginable genre in between.

The Crystal Palace Quartet mainly play for events in London and the Southeast but are willing to travel anywhere within the UK. They are also active on the concert platform, performing public recitals in London. 

The Crystal Palace Quartet is comprised of the following members:

Julia Burkert, violin- Julia received her BMus with Distinction from the University of Victoria, Canada where she won a scholarship to study with the Lafayette String Quartet. After graduating, she moved to Glasgow for postgraduate studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In Canada, she has been a regular violinist with Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra, Symphony New Brunswick, Okanagan Symphony, Powell River Opera, Prince George Symphony and has appeared with many more. She coaches the Junior Classic Orchestra Regensburg and is concertmaster of the National Doctors Orchestra of Germany. Currently, she works in London as an active freelancing session musician and has appeared with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata of London, Surrey Sinfonietta, Brandenburg Sinfonia, as leader of I Maestri and many others. Recently, she was a member of the cast of the West End show Sinatra. Julia gained extensive chamber music experience as leader of the Canada based Fontana String Quartet, with whom she played for Princess and P&O cruise lines between 2002-04, and she also makes regular appearances as a soloist.

Alice Butcher, violin- Alice Butcher combines chamber music with an extensive freelance orchestral career. She is a graduate of York University and gained her MMus with Distinction from Trinity College of Music. Awards include The Wilfrid Mellors Travel Bursary, The Emanuel Hurwitz Chamber Music scholarship and The Charles Davis Award to attend Dartington International Summer School. Alongside her work with the Crystal Palace String Quartet, Alice regularly performs in chamber recitals with piano trios, violin-piano duos, and as a member of The Boccherini String Trio. She has taken part in masterclasses with Lydia Mordkovitch, Sandor Devich, the Brodsky and Chilingirian string quartets. Alice’s orchestral work encompasses orchestras throughout Britain and Ireland including the National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Alice also enjoys the lighter side of music and has played in the shows Sinatra and Miss Saigon as well as touring throughout Europe with Abba: The Show.

Chris Brody, viola- Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Chris obtained a BA in Music from Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. He spent a year at Schaffhausen Konservatorium, Switzerland before coming to London to complete his postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His teachers have included Herbert Greenberg, Robert Koff, Wilma Smith, Andras von Toszeghi, Jack Glickman and Simon Rowland-Jones. As a freelance orchestral player he is principal viola for Camerata of London, Surrey Sinfonietta, I Maestri, Skolia Orchestra and Camerata Santa Dorotea, and has performed with the RPO, Ulster Orchestra, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, English Symphony Orchestra and WNO among others. He has given concerts internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, and is also a keen choral singer.

Sarah Westley, cello- Sarah studied at Trinity College of Music and Royal Academy of Music, achieving a BMus (Hons), PG Dip (Performance) and LRAM. Her professors were Joely Koos, Tim Gill, Jo Knight and Jennifer Ward-Clark (baroque cello), with masterclasses by Mats Lidstrom, Steven Doane and Robert Cohen among others. She was BBC County Young Musician of Hereford and Worcester in 1999 and her training has included work with British Youth Opera and Orchestra of the City (both as principal). Sarah has freelanced with English National Opera, Milton Keynes City Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English National Orchestra, Telford New Symphony Orchestra, Camerata of London and Surrey Sinfonietta. Session work includes Martin Okasili, Sven Vath, Jimmy Tenor and Elton John. As a soloist and chamber musician her performances have included Saint-Saëns cello concerto no.1, Boccherini cello concerto in Bb and a tour of Iran with cello and piano duo.

The Crystal Palace Quartet has performed at a wide variety of functions for audiences that have included past and current presidents, prime ministers and senior royalty. Recent bookings include a three week tour of the Mediterranean with Saga Cruise Lines, weddings at Coombe Abbey (Coventry), Gosfield Hall (Essex), Lancaster House (London) and the Commonwealth Club (London), a farewell party in Holland Park and a recording session with pop group The Nites.

Previous venues that the Crystal Palace String Quartet have performed at include: Addington Palace, Bickley Manor, Blenheim Palace, British Museum, Browns Courtrooms, Brown's Hotel, Cambridge Cottage, Kew, Chandos House, Chiswick House, Clandon Park, Claridge's Hotel, Cliveden House, Commonwealth Club, Coombe Abbey, Covent Garden Hotel, Down Hall Country House Hotel, Dulwich College, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Englemere, The Fennes Estate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Gosfield Hall, Great Hall, Lincoln's Inn, Guards Polo Club, Hampton Court Palace, Home House, Institute of Directors, King's College, Cambridge, Lancaster House, Landmark Hotel, London Guildhall, Loseley House, Mansion House, Merton Registry Office, Middle and Inner Temples, Natural History Museum, Old Royal Naval College, One Great George Street, The Orangery, Holland Park, Pembroke Lodge, Polesden Lacey, Radisson Edwardian Heathrow Hotel, Royal Institute of British Architects, Saga Cruise Lines, St Paul's Cathedral, Templeton Estates, The Tithe Barn, Victoria & Albert Museum, Waldorf Hotel, Woodlands Park Hotel, Many local churches... plus much more!

Whilst the Crystal Palace Quartet usually performs as a string quartet, they are also able to operate as a string trio or duo (violin plus viola or cello) for smaller events. A duo or trio is suitable for venues where performance space is limited, or if your budget doesn't stretch to a full string quartet.

The quartet is also happy to find or make arrangements of your favourite pieces or songs.

Jo Coughlan, Wedding
Hi Tracey, Thank you for your kind wishes! Our wedding day was more magical and special than we ever could have dreamed of and The Crystal Palace Quartet helped to make it so, with their beautiful playing. They really added an elegance and lovely atmosphere to the occasion and were lovely people too! Thank you.

Ruth Cook, Wedding
The quartet were wonderful, the music was enjoyed by everyone ... you all looked fantastic as well. Thank you so much for helping us make the day so special.

Gary Morris, Silver anniversary party
We were delighted with your performance and you helped make the evening very special for us.

Victoria & Stuart Bell, Wedding
The Crystal Palace Quartet were fantastic!!! They were exactly what we wanted and they made the day really special for us.

Farrah Hassan- Hardwick, Westminster City Council
The String Quartet were wonderful, really very lovely people. The music they played was very engaging: I recommend them highly.