The Midlands String Quartet will bring two of Britain’s most celebrated bands into the classical setting of St Paul’s Church this September.
Two extraordinary musical catalogues will meet in a rather different form when the Midlands String Quartet presents Queen v The Beatles at St Paul’s Church of Ireland in Cúil an tSúdaire (Portarlington).
The concert, taking place at 8.00pm on Saturday 19 September 2026, promises a live classical celebration of songs made famous by two bands whose music has travelled remarkably well across generations—and across musical styles.
The Beatles transformed popular music during the 1960s, combining immediate melodies with increasingly ambitious songwriting and studio experimentation. Queen brought their own blend of rock, theatricality, harmony and sheer scale to the decades that followed.
Both left behind music that is instantly recognisable, but also rich enough to be reimagined. Stripped of the familiar vocals, guitars and studio production, the melodies and harmonies can take on a fresh character when entrusted to two violins, viola and cello.
That should make Queen v The Beatles more than a sequence of familiar tunes. It offers an opportunity to hear how some of popular music’s most enduring songs work when approached through the intimacy and precision of a string quartet.
An atmospheric setting
St Paul’s Church provides an especially fitting setting for the concert. Its historic interior offers the kind of close, resonant atmosphere in which the individual voices of a quartet can be heard clearly while still combining into something larger.
The evening is being held in aid of Portarlington Union of Parishes, with all proceeds going towards parish funds.
Whether loyalties lie with Freddie Mercury and Bohemian Rhapsody, Lennon and McCartney, or somewhere happily between the two, this promises to be an enjoyable meeting of classical performance and iconic popular music.
Concert details
Queen v The Beatles
Performed by: Midlands String Quartet
Date: Saturday 19 September 2026
Time: 8.00pm
Venue: St Paul’s Church of Ireland, Cúil an tSúdaire (Portarlington)
Tickets: €20
In aid of: Portarlington Union of Parishes funds
Tickets are available in advance. Further booking information can be obtained from Portarlington Union of Parishes, via Church Warden, or at Cooper’s Florist, Portarlington.
Sources
- Concert information and artwork supplied by Portarlington Union of Parishes.
- Midlands String Quartet on Facebook
- Love Portarlington
Gyronny Herald 