Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast
Cultural Tours & Musical Holidays
The Kirker Music Festival at The Grand, Eastbourne
United Kingdom
tbc nights from £tbc per person
Eastbourne has been undergoing a cultural renaissance in recent years and The Grand Hotel is at its heart, a majestic setting for a summer Kirker Music Festival. The Grand hosted Claude Debussy during the summer of 1905 when he completed the final orchestration of his masterpiece, 'La mer'. He described the area in a letter to his publisher as a "peaceful and charming spot: the sea unfurls itself with an utterly British correctness". This year we welcome the prize-winning Sostenuto Quartet, who will be joined by pianist Melvyn Tan and there will be interviews with the musicians and talks by violist, composer and Kirker Director of Music, Simon Rowland-Jones. Each concert is followed by a private dinner in the hotel’s exquisitely decorated Compton Room and there will be some free time to enjoy the hotel’s facilities including gardens, an outdoor swimming pool and spa.
Quartet
Sostenuto Quartet
The Sostenuto Quartet, made up of four Norwegian players, was formed at the Royal Academy of Music and in June 2026 they won the prestigious Nina Drucker Haydn String Quartet Competition.
Piano
Melvyn Tan
Born in Singapore in 1956, Melvyn Tan came to England at a very young age to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey. There he studied with Nadia Boulanger, Vlado Perlemuter and Marcel Ciampi. They all inspired his lifelong passion for French music. He has circled the globe giving solo recitals and as a soloist with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors in major concert halls and festivals everywhere – Salzburg, Edinburgh, City of London Festivals, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh and Salzburg to name just a few.
Viola, Composer & Kirker Music Director
Simon Rowland-Jones
"Performer, editor, composer and teacher, Simon Rowland-Jones has always led a very busy, all-embracing musical life. He was founder violist of the Chilingirian Quartet, in which he played for a total of ten years, and subsequently performed with many other leading chamber groups.
What's included
Three dinners
Three concerts as described with programme notes
All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities
The services of the Kirker Tour Leader
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Contact our expert team for first-hand advice and a tailor-made quotation.
Alice Boyle
Cultural Tours - Sales & Operations Executive
Hotel Details
The Grand Hotel
London, United Kingdom
Located on the promenade with magnificent views of the English Channel, the 'White Palace' was once a popular destination for Victorians seeking the health benefits of the bracing sea air. Famous former guests include Winston Churchill and Claude Debussy, who corrected the score of his masterpiece, <em>La mer</em>, while in residence.
Testimonial
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