The Cape Town-based Sontonga Quartet, South Africa's premier string quartet, will give a number of schools and public concerts in an around Durban and Pietermaritzburg between August 14 and 27.

Led by star violinist Marc Uys, a distinguished Maritzburg College old boy, the internationally acclaimed group will appear in concert in Durban at the Howard College Theatre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, on August 14 at 19h30pm (tickets R50), and in the Pietermaritzburg City Hall on August 26 at 19h30 (tickets R40). Booking for both these public concerts is through Computicket on 011 340 8000 or www.computicket.com

Noted for their extraordinarily high performance standards in a wide and engaging repertoire, and equally for their dynamic profile with audiences of all ages, the group has reaped ongoing acclaim throughout South Africa as well as on several international tours over the past two and a half years since its inception.

Named in honour of Enoch Sontonga, the turn of the century composer of South Africa's national anthem, Nkosi Sikilel' iAfrica, the Sontonga Quartet's eclectic concert repertoire is designed to break down musical barriers, and ranges from Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, Barber and Janacek, to compositions by Peter Louis van Dijk, Schnittke, Volans and Gorecki, among others.

Their schools programme showcases a mix of well-known classical items alongside popular contemporary numbers including Dave Matthews' Ants Marching and Queen's Tie your mother down as well as rock tunes such as Paranoid Android, Radiohead, Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix and Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones. Schools wishing to make bookings for special evening concerts may do so. The quartet will give a special evening concert at Michaelhouse in the Midlands on August 25 at 19h30.

For enquiries or to book for the Sontonga Quartet's schools concerts in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and the KZN Midlands, call Margie Coppen on 083 251 9412 or 031 266 7892.