The Cuckmere String Quartet was formed in 2023 and our first concert was in Eastbourne. We decided to name ourselves after the beautiful Cuckmere Haven in East Sussex, as it falls within the Sussex / Kent radius in which we all live.

We have each studied music and chamber music at prestigious music colleges including: The Royal Scottish Academy of Music; The Royal College of Music; Trinity College of Music and with the National Centre for Orchestral Studies, and with some of the most renowned quartets in the world including: The Chilingirian; The Bridge, The Music Group of London and The Alberni quartets.

We have given a number of formal recitals, including having recently been joined by a guest harpist.
We enjoy playing for weddings, parties and all functions and tailor our events to source your favourite songs and take care to ensure that we create a beautiful atmosphere at each occasion.

Elaine Patience – Violinist

Born in Glasgow, with a very musical mother. She began the piano at 6 then the violin at 11, after returning from 8 yrs in Jamaica with her family. She later studied at the RSAMD (now Scottish Conservatoire) with Peter Mountain, the head of strings, gaining a BA(mus perf) then she moved to London to do a post grad orchestral course (NCOS) where she met Gill. She stayed in London to develop her freelance and teaching career, including tours with Scottish ballet and Sadlers wells opera, then moved to Brighton when newly married and taught in various schools, including Roedean and Brighton College. After a 7yr season of living and working in Kent she has returned to Sussex but has continued to freelance in both areas and beyond.

Rachel Parry – Violinist

Rachel was brought up in Lewes and was heavily involved in local music making as a student growing up in Sussex. She completed her Undergraduate and Post Graduate studies at Trinity College of music London. Rachel taught violin and viola at Roedean School and was Strings Specialist and Second in the Music Department before stepping down to start a family. She has performed as a soloist with local orchestras and continues to perform as a chamber and orchestral musician across Sussex along with her teaching role at a Sussex Independant School.

Clare Lees – Cellist

Clare started playing cello at the age of 6. This led to studying at the Royal College of Music. Clare studied Cello with Eileen Croxford and chamber music with David Parkhouse. Clare played professionally with the Kendal String Quartet and taught for 25 years in Yorkshire before moving to Ticehurst in 2010 where she works as a freelance cellist.

Gillian Townsend – Violist

Gill started playing viola at the age of 13, and went on to study with Robin Benefield in Newcastle. During her last year of studies here Gill had the opportunity to perform with the Northern Sinfonia. Gill studied viola with Fred Riddle during her Post Graduate year at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies, London, (passed with a distinction for Thesis). Gill is a freelance violist, teacher and examiner.