Quanta, Piano Trio
October 9th, 2026
The Programme
The Piano Trio Quanta is renowned for its versatility, combining classical repertoire with a variety of styles to produce entertaining and lively programmes. This they have done for their SHP concert, giving us a varied repertoire alongside the wonderful Trio in D minor by Mendelssohn.
Concert Programme
Coming Soon
Programme Notes
Coming soon.
Programme Notes Copywrite Alistair Jones, 2026
The Artists
Quanta
Shirley Smart - cello
Dominic Ingham - violin
John Crawford - piano
Quanta is a piano trio exploring great masterworks of the piano-trio literature, interspersed with improvisatory performance based on a variety of sources, including classical works, folk music and jazz as well as free improvisation and original works.
Shirley Smart is known as a keen educator. She is a Professor of Improvisation and Musicianship at the Royal College of Music in London, and also teaches on the Popular Music course at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. She lectures for both City and Kent Universities in Music History, Performance Practice, Jazz History, Composition, Orchestration and Arrangement, and teaches Improvisation and Musicianship at the Royal College of Music Junior Department.
Dominic Ingham: Dominic is an accomplished and well-rounded musician, a powerful communicator and performer, a composer of captivating original music and a pioneering violinist. He has toured extensively across the UK with his quintet at venues/festivals such as Ronnie Scotts, Kings Place, Love Supreme, Barbican and EFG London Jazz Festival. In 2020 he was nominated for a Parliamentary Jazz award and was also a semi-finalist in the renowned Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition. Also in 2020, Dominic released his debut album ‘Role Models’ to critical acclaim, with reviews in BBC Music Magazine, The Scotsman and international publications such as ‘Written in Music’. This self-released record features an arresting suite of lucidly crafted and characterful pieces and showcases Dominic’s distinctive and highly personalised style, rooted in his background of folk and classical music.
Dominic is a keen educator and currently teaches at Chetham’s School of Music and Royal Welsh School of Music and Drama.
John Crawford blends jazz sophistication with the fire of Latin rhythm. With English and Spanish roots, he was raised on blues and immersed in salsa, flamenco, and Afro-Cuban traditions — a fusion that defines his sound. He’s performed at world-renowned festivals like Montreal, North Sea, and San Sebastián, and iconic venues including Ronnie Scott’s, the Royal Albert Hall, and the 606 Club.
An Independent Music Award nominee, John’s albums Ulia River of Time, Times and Tides, and his latest Room for Dancing have earned critical praise for their vibrant energy and heartfelt lyricism. He’s played with legends from both the Latin and jazz worlds — from Airto Moreira to Norma Winstone, Björk to Tony Kofi — and was a founding member of Grupo X and genre-blending project ISQ. A passionate educator and rhythm fanatic, John’s books on Latin piano (published by Schott and OUP) have become go-to resources worldwide. Whether on stage or in the studio, his music is always alive with groove, emotion, and an infectious love of dance.