One of the greatest strengths of music is it can change prejudices and open up new vistas.

I am an unashamed classical man who eschews pop and pays little attention to jazz.

Thus armed, I went to the Brodsky Song Show with some trepidation having noted the names - Bjork, Elvis Costello and Sir Paul McCartney - of some of the songwriters featured.

But my prejudices were blown away by 90 minutes of pop, jazz and an hilarious Icelandic story, all wrapped up in the beautiful sounds that have made the Brodsky String Quartet world famous.

With Jacqueline Dankworth and Ian Shaw singing Costello, a new song by Sir Paul and music from jazz master Django Bates and several songs from a collaboration between the Brodskys and students of Blatchington Mill School, this was a fabulous evening.

Different, quirky but full of intergrity, everyone involved showed what a string quartet can do in the 21st Century.

This isn't crossover music but a marvelous fusion of old and new.

Sjorn's Anna And Her Moods, a comic tale of a young girl reaching her teenages years, could have been written by Stravinsky it was so acerbic and so funny.

Great music, great songs and a deserved kicking to those who categorise music - this five-star event entertained me hugely and gave me much food for thought.

Site user Pat Linley of Bangor, Co Down, writes: What a fine way to start a tour! The Brodsky Quartet, with friends, struck a right note or two at the Brighton Dome.

The fabulous Brodskies have done it again.

Not only did they put on a fabulous show, demonstrating artistic integrity and a very high level of performance, but they managed to involve the youth of the area in a most impressive way.

The concert explored the creative writings of an array of fine composers, featuring works by Bjork, Elvis Costello, Django Bates and Sting to name a few.

The string arrangements were tasteful, featuring the superb technique of the quartet as individuals and their obvious mastery of ensemble playing.

The children performed a remarkably difficult piece by composer Django Bates called The Interval Song, which went through every chromatic interval available in one octave in the most tricky way imaginable, only to be delivered magnificantly from potential singing stars of the future.

But there was no shortage of singing stars of today. The vocal talents were on display of probably the finest two professional vocalists in the UK, Ian Shaw and Jacqui Dankworth.

Dankworth comes from that Jazz dynasty headed up by dad Johnny, but has a sound all of her own with a voice comparable to none I've heard from these shores for years.

Her voice is extraordinary, with a wily dexterity and a depth across a range of three octaves demonstrated on the night.

She had a wonderful control of vibrato which she masterfully displayed in She Moves Through The Fair, and demonstrated a power and passion in Play Dead which had several, myself included, welling up with emotion.

Shaw was also magnificent, delivering his selection with panache and style akin to a commanding performer who has performed with Clare Martin in a duo setting, and soon to record with Jazz Legend Phil Woods.

To cap it all, the two, ably backed by probably the best string quartet in the country, performed compositions of the school children from the area, specially arranged by the Brodskies and brought to life by the free spirited Ian and Jacqui.

For the first show of a tour it was highly polished, imaginative and passionate and I will personally try to catch them again in their forthcoming travels.