Chaos Collective, formed in 2022, is a Norfolk based string quartet. Violinists Fran Mattishent and Rebecca Scott-Smissen, violist Rachel Stacy and cellist Ivan McCready met whilst performing together in a variety of ensembles in East Anglia. The aim of the ensemble is to embrace many different disciplines and encompass many different forms of music. Their programmes have included disparate works including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Roger Eno and Susie Self amongst others. They have reworked songs by Queen, film music including James Bond and folk music, giving their programmes an eclectic appeal.

The quartet’s first collaboration with a contemporary composer was with Roger Eno and future plans with him include new compositions and performances. Other new works are to be written by James McConnel of Kit & McConnel, and Susie Self, who is writing a piece for acoustic string quartet, electric string quartet and soundscape (which will culminate in performances in London, Vienna and Amsterdam). Chaos Collective have started using fully electric instruments made by Bridge Violins in addition to their acoustic instruments. Alongside pianist Brenda Blewett, an accompanist at Chethams School of Music in Manchester for many years, Chaos Collective has founded a summer festival based at five churches in North Norfolk. The inaugural Five Churches Festival took place in July 2023 and included pieces such as the Elgar Piano Quintet with violinist Ben Holland (professor at the Royal Northern College of Music), and a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

The group has a strong connection with the Belfry Arts Centre in Overstrand and it’s directors Keith Hobday and Lucy Murphy. Chaos Collective were joined by violist Steve Burnard of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra for a concert at the Belfry in May 2022, for a performance of viola quintets by Mozart and Brahms as part of a viola festival curated by Rachel. Swaffham Arts has also been an early supporter of the ensemble. Performances to date have included a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee concert in St. Botolph’s Church, Grimston, a concert at Norwich Arts Centre with Roger Eno, a performance at the Plantation Garden, Norwich, and performances at the aforementioned Belfry Arts Centre.

Looking to the future, we are proud to announce that Chaos Collective has started working for feverup.com in their series of Candlelight Concerts. Details of these performances can always be found on our Events page.

  • Fran

    Franziska studied at the Hochschule der Kuenste Berlin, Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music London with Prof Tomaszewski and Yossi Zivoni.

    She was a winner of Norfolk’s Young Musician and received scholarships to both the Royal Northern and Royal College of Music.

    Franziska enjoyed a varied freelance career which included solo and chamber music recitals throughout Poland, Germany and the UK as well as playing and touring with world-renowned orchestras such as BBC Symphony, Royal Opera House and Philharmonia Orchestra.

    She now lives in Norfolk with her young family and would very much like to pursue her interest in primary music education. She has recently gained her British Kodaly Certificate.

  • Rebecca

    With both parents, aunts and an uncle being professional musicians, there was very little chance to escape music. Rebecca was hot housed from an early age under the tutelage of Sheila Nelson, playing concertos with local orchestras and frequent recitals at North London Collegiate, where she attended school on a music scholarship. Five years studying with Yossi Zivoni at the Royal Northern College of Music and a Fleming Trust scholarship enabled her to study with Shmuel Ashkenasi and the Vermeer quartet at Northern Illinois University and then with Mark Zinger at De Paul University in Chicago.

    Rebecca became a busy freelancer in Chicago and toured with Chamber Blues, an eclectic group of classical string quartet, tabla and fronted by the blues musician, Corky Siegel. Over three years they performed at numerous music classical and jazz venues including Montreal and Mendocino Music Festivals. She also backed Led Zeplin, The Who and Moody Blues.

    Returning to London in 1991, Rebecca freelanced in the LSO, the Philharmonia and the RPO, became a member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and later, City of London Sinfonia and the Orchestra of St John's.

    Rebecca started teaching whilst still at college in Manchester and has continued ever since, teaching at Harrow school for 17 years until she moved to Suffolk and now at Woodbridge school and home where she lives with violist husband, teenager, six dogs and two tortoises.

  • Rachel

    Rachel is a freelance viola player who divides her time between modern and period performance. She received a scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and also studied at the Royal College of Music, London. She has performed with ensembles such as the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra amongst others, including performances at the BBC Proms, and concerts in the Palace of Versailles, France; Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman; and Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney.

    Rachel has been a member of the orchestra in the Thursford Christmas Spectacular – Europe’s largest Christmas variety show – since 2013, totalling over 650 performances. Rachel moved to Norfolk in 2019 after joining the Kavolini String Quartet, with whom she has enjoyed many chamber music performances, and more recently exploring the world of electric instruments.

    Rachel is also curating a viola festival in collaboration with the Belfry Arts Centre, Overstrand. She plays on a viola made for her by Norfolk based Dota Williams.

  • Ivan

    After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Ivan performed for twenty years with the Duke Quartet. They recorded for Factory Records, Collins Classics and Naxos and were voted ‘Best Newcomer of the Year’ at the Cannes Classical Music Awards. The Duke Quartet also toured with the award-winning European dance company Rosas and recorded and toured with bands including The Pretenders, Blur, The Cranberries and The Corrs. They were resident at Trinity College, Oxford, for many years.

    In 2001 Ivan left the quartet to undertake other projects including a residency with the Swiss Theater St Gallen Dance Company, performing solo cello and vocals. In the following years he also toured with artists such as Pete Doherty.

    Ivan is a member of three ensembles based in Norfolk, Chaos Collective, Fiasco! and the Kavolini String Quartet. He also performs with his daughter singer-songwriter and actor Ella McCready, as well as acclaimed musician and composer Bertie Anderson Haggart.

    Ivan was awarded the prestigious title of A.R.A.M. (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music), which is an accolade presented to alumni who have significantly contributed to and impacted the music profession. He plays on a cello made for him in 2001 by Kai-Thomas Roth.