This year the Swindon Recital Series notches up its 20th anniversary of bringing the best classical performers to the town.

The autumn concert is no exception, bringing together members of the Renown Ensemble to perform a history of the quartet.

More Mozart, Schubert and Faure takes place on the first day of the National Family Arts Festival and includes a talk and question-and-answer session for youngsters to come along and quiz the professionals about their instruments, their music or how to become a classical musician.

Carmen Flores on viola, Miranda Dale on violin, Caroline Dearnley on cello and Paul Turner on piano make up the famous quartet of Renown Ensemble and they will be on stage at 6.45pm for the talk.

In 2007 Carmen was appointed principal viola of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

The journey of the quartet starts at 7.30pm on Friday, October 18, with Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G Minor which was composed in 1782. Tragic Schubert follows with his Adagio and Rondo Concertante in F. Schubert lived in poverty and ill health despite his popularity with the cream of Viennese society and died aged just 31.

The programme finishes with Faure who named Ravel as one of his pupils. The finale is his Piano Quartet in C minor which he wrote following a broken engagement and a broken heart. Faure lived from 1845 to 1924 bridging the gap between romanticism and modernism.

Swindon-born Paul is the founder of the recital series, setting it up to break down the elitist barriers that usually consign top drawer classical musicians to only playing in vast concert halls.

He coerced his professional musician friends to come and play at the intimate theatres of his home town and the recitals proved a huge hit.

More Mozart Schubert and Faure will take place at Swindon’s Arts Centre, Devizes Road in Old Town.

Tickets are £12 including the Q&A session and under 14s go free. For more details call the box office on 01793 641837.

– Flicky Harrison