Room-Music is a consortium of internationally acclaimed musicians who wish to perform and explore chamber music in a flexible and innovative form. In addition to appearances at major festivals, Room-Music has been invited to be Ensemble-in-Residence at St John’s, Smith Square, London, from September 2004.

Stephen Coombs first came to musical prominence when, at the age of thirteen, he won second prize at the National Piano Concerto Competition. His London debut at Wigmore Hall, only two years later, set the pattern for an international career which has won him many prizes and awards, (including the Gold Medal at the First International Liszt Concourse in Hungary) and taken him around the world giving concerts and masterclasses. Alongside his performances of standard works, Stephen Coombs has an impressive reputation as a champion of the rarities of the piano repertoire. He broadcasts extensively for the BBC and has received enormous critical acclaim for his many recordings on the Hyperion label.

Charles Sewart began learning the violin at the age of six. He won the Adrian Boult Scholarship to Westminster School in 1977 and continued his studies at The Guildhall School in 1982 with David Takeno and Hans Keller. From 1986 to 1992 Charles Sewart was a member of the prize-winning Mistry String Quartet, which was resident at York University. Since 1992, he has been a member of the Chilingirian Quartet, resident Quartet at the Royal College of Music, performing worldwide and recording for numerous labels.

Winner of the 17th Budapest International Viola Competition, Yuko Inoue has performed as soloist throughout Europe and Japan. After graduating with Distinction from the Royal Northern College of Music, she was appointed principal viola of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, a position she held for three years before returning to live in London, where she is in great demand as a soloist and chamber musician, performing and recording frequently with some of Britain’s most eminent string quartets and chamber ensembles. Yuko Inoue is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London and gives masterclasses throughout Europe and Japan.

Born in Johannesburg into a family of professional musicians, Philip De Groote had his first cello lessons at the age of six. The winner of many prizes throughout his early years, he was awarded a full scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1969 where he studied with Eileen Croxford. Further studies with William Pleeth and Janos Starker were followed by two appearances on BBC television with Paul Tortelier. In 1971 he was awarded the Tenuto Prize from Belgian Radio/Television. Later that year he became a founder member of the Chilingirian Quartet with whom he has toured and made over thirty discs for Hyperion, EMI, RCA, Chandos and Nimbus.