ONE of Britain's foremost string quartets will be performing for Malvern Concert Club on Thursday, May 5.

The Maggini Quartet, founded in 1988, champions the British repertoire, with more than 100,000 discs sold of its British Music series for Naxos.

Its CD of Vaughan Williams won Gramophone chamber music of the year award in 2002, Recordings of Elgar works, with Peter Donohoe, and its Bax quartets were also award-winners.

The quartet has also recorded works by Haydn and Schubert.

The Malvern concert will include the Alan Rawsthorne's Third Quartet, the centenary of whose birth is being celebrated this year.

Maggini is currently recording all his quartets and members of the Rawsthorne Trust are expected to be at the concert.

This work will be framed by works by Haydn and Schubert.

"This is a concert not to be missed, despite the little matter of a general election on the same day," said club spokesman Ernie Kay. "Perhaps members and visitors will be glad to round off the day with something more soothing than politics - and still be able to get home in time for the results."

The concert closes the club's 102nd season, which Mr Kay said had been very successful.

"We've had very good audiences and the Ex-Cathedra concert was virtually a sell-out. Next season is fully planned and we hope the audience numbers will remain at this plateau," he said.

Tickets, priced £14, £13 and £5, are available from 01684 892277.