23rd Haverhill Sinfonia Soloist Competition
Saturday 29 September 2012, 9.30am-8.00pm
at Haverhill Arts Centre – Box Office Tel: 01440 714140
All-day tickets at the door £4 (adult), £2 (OAP/Student), Free (16 & under)
in association with
Airedale Symphony Orchestra
Bedford Sinfonia
Bideford Music Club
Brickwall Music and Arts Society
Brockenhurst Music Society
Bury St. Edmunds Concert Club
Cambridge Summer Music Festival
City of Southampton Orchestra
Derby Chamber Music Society
Faversham Music Club
Gresham's
Haverhill Sinfonia
Haywards Heath Music Society
Hoddesdon Music Club
Lambeth Orchestra
Leighton Buzzard Music Club
Linton Music Society
Louth & District Concert Society
Matlock Music Society
Pound Arts
Redhill Sinfonia
Stratford-upon-Avon Chamber Music Society
The Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival
The Gower School
The King’s School Ely
Witney Music Society
sponsors
Balaam's Music (Bury St. Edmunds)
Empire Pianos (Braintree)
Evans-Pughe Strings of Hitchin Ltd.
Genzyme Ltd.
Glasswells Ltd.
Haverhill Research Park
Haverhill Town Council
International Flavours and Fragrances (GB) Ltd.
MachinePart Engineering Ltd.
Marchant Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Mrs. Pat Taylor and Mr. Nicholas Jarman
Music Sales Group
Rotary Club of Haverhill and District
STP Stationery
The Herbert Group
VION Sliced Cooked Meats
Wood, Wind and Reed (Cambridge)
competition
25 musicians selected from 164 entries of 35 nationalities will perform a 20-minute programme. There are 38 prizes to the value of £9,125 plus 26 performance engagements throughout the UK.
adjudicating panel
Kevin Hill MBE
Music Director, Haverhill Sinfonia & Arnold Sinfonia
Caroline Palmer
Professor of Piano & Chamber Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Gary Ryan
Assistant Head of Strings & Professor of Guitar, Royal College of Music
official accompanist
Tom Blach
prizes
First Prize
£300, donated by Wood, Wind and Reed (Cambridge)
recital : Cambridge Summer Music Festival - £225
recital : Gresham's - £225
recital: Haverhill Sinfonia - £225
recital: Stratford-upon-Avon Chamber Music Society - £225
recital: The Gower School - £250
recital: The King’s School, Ely - £225
solo work : Bedford Sinfonia - £325
Second prize
£250, donated by Rotary Club of Haverhill and District
Third prize
£200, donated by Haverhill Research Park
Fourth prize
£175, donated by Marchant Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Fifth prize
£150, donated by The Herbert Group
Sixth prize
£125, donated by Balaam's Music (Bury St. Edmunds)
Seventh prize
£100, donated by VION Sliced Cooked Meats
Highest-placed pianist
recital: Bury St. Edmunds Concert Club - £300
recital: Haywards Heath Music Society - £225
recital: Hoddesdon Music Club - £300
recital: Leighton Buzzard Music Club - £250
recital: Louth & District Concert Society - £225
recital: Pound Arts - £250
Highest-placed string player
£200, donated by VION Sliced Cooked Meats
Highest-placed violinist
recital: Brickwall Music and Arts Society - £225
Highest-placed string or woodwind player
recital: Faversham Music Club - £250
recital: Matlock Music Society - £225
solo work: Redhill Sinfonia - £325
Highest-placed woodwind player
recital: Bideford Music Club - £225
Highest-placed woodwind or brass-player
£200, donated by Genzyme Ltd.
Highest-placed pianist, guitarist or harpist
recital: Linton Music Society - £225
Highest-placed brass player
solo work: City of Southampton Orchestra - £325
Highest-placed prize-winner, other than singer
recital: Brockenhurst Music Society - £250
recital: The Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival - £275
recital: Witney Music Society - £250
Highest-placed prize-winner, other than brass
recital: Derby Chamber Music Society - £275
Highest-placed prize-winner, other than pianist
solo work: Airedale Symphony Orchestra - £325
solo work: Lambeth Orchestra - £300
Best performance of a work by a British composer
£200, donated by Evans-Pughe Strings of Hitchin Ltd
Best performance of a work written since 1950
£300, donated by Music Sales Group
Best accompanist
£200, donated by Mrs. Pat Taylor & Mr. Nicholas Jarman
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
competitors
Christina McMaster (piano) 9.30am
Domenico Scarlatti – Sonata in D minor K.18
Harrison Birtwistle – Harrison's Clocks No. 4
Johannes Brahms – Klavierstucke Op. 118 No. 6 “Intermezzo”
Wolfgang Rihm – Klavierstück No. 6
Christina McMaster (26) was born in England. Described by David Sigall as ‘Simply outstanding’. Pianist and collaborator, Christina is a highly versatile performer, intrepid in her quest of discovering and performing new music.
Recent performances include at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Buckingham Palace, Steinway Hall, Aldeburgh Festival and The Secret Garden Party Festival. Summer 2012 she toured the UK with the Ligeti Quartet, premièring British and American works and also toured Europe with EUYO. Coming up will be a Birthday concert of John Cage's prepared piano works. In the coming season she will be working alongside and performing works of composers Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Carl Vine.
Christina studied at The Purcell School, Trinity Laban and the Royal Academy of Music with Joanna MacGregor. During this time she was awarded many prizes for solo, chamber music and contemporary music. These include the Jacques Samuels Trinity Laban Prize, The Royal Academy Christian Carpenter Recital Prize, Cavatina Chamber Music prize and The William Elkin Memorial Prize as well as several scholarships. Significant collaborations include with the Brodowski Quartet, Toki Quartet, Manson Ensemble, Maestoso Piano Trio and a partnership with trumpeter Imogen Hancock.
She has also recently recorded the Maxwell Davies Trumpet and Piano Sonata with Rob Smith available for download. Christina was artistic adviser in 2011 for a series of concerts to promote free live music in Peterborough, which included free classical folk and electronic music performances held both outdoor and indoor.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Samantha Pearce (flute) 9.50am
Accompanist – Kayoko Sugimura
Nigel Clarke – Echo and Narcissus (for solo flute)
Claude-Paul Taffanel – Fantasy on “Der Freischutz”
Samantha Pearce (23) was born in Kent and began learning the flute at the age of 8. At 13, she won a scholarship to study under David Nicholson in Aberdeen and became a member of the National Youth Orchestras of Great Britain and Scotland, performing in St Paul’s Cathedral and in the BBC Proms with conductors including Neville Marriner and Richard Hickox.
In 2007, Samantha won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, from which she graduated in 2011 with lst Class Honours and the Chris Taylor Flute prize, studying with Karen Jones, William Bennett, Pat Morris, and baroque flute under Lisa Beznosiuk.
Samantha has been principal flute with many of the Academy’s orchestras, performing under Sir Simon Rattle, Leif Segerstam and Yan Pascal Tortelier. Other performances include playing with the London Sinfonietta under George Benjamin and a recording workshop with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Winner of the first prize in the Academy’s ‘All Flutes Plus Flute Prize' 2010, Samantha won the chance to perform Ibert’s Flute Concerto with RAM Concert Orchestra in May 2011. She performs in a flute and guitar duo for the charity Live Music Now and has recently played period flute with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment within the Ann and Peter Law Orchestral Experience.
She was awarded the June Allison Wood Wind Award by the Philharmonia Orchestra/Martin Musical Scholarship towards her postgraduate studies in Cologne, Germany with Professor Robert Winn and has since performed solo recitals in St. Margaret's Westminster and the Royal Festival Hall.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Paul Vowles (clarinet) 10.10am
Accompanist – Gemma Beeson
Paul Harvey – It Ain't Necessarily So
Krzystof Penderecki – Three Miniatures
Shulamit Ran – For an Actor: Monologue
Francis Poulenc – Sonata
3. Allegro con fuoco
Paul Vowles (28) was born in England and is establishing a career as a soloist specialising in contemporary music. Paul studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and at the Eastman School of Music, New York. His teachers included Professor Linda Merrick, Nicholas Cox, Chris Swann, Barry Graham and Kenneth Grant. He graduated with BMus(Hons) First Class, a Post Graduate Certificate of Education and a Masters with Distinction. He was also the first clarinettist to be appointed the Giles Thomas Lyth Junior Fellow at the RNCM. During his studies, Paul won the RNCM woodwind competition, Timothy Reynish Prize, Musicians Benevolent Fund Education Award and a bursary from the John Barbirolli Memorial Foundation. He is this year's winner of the International Israeli Music Competition.
Paul has performed numerous concerti, notably giving the UK and US premières of "Doubles" by Gary Carpenter with oboist Melinda Maxwell. Paul works regularly with pianist Jonathan Fisher. As a duo, they made their debut at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall in 2009, reached the finals of the Yamaha Federation of Music Competition, gave two recitals for the BBC and have recorded works by Adam Gorb for the Prima Facie Label.
Later this year, Paul will be recording a solo CD of contemporary clarinet works for Prima Facie with Jonathan Fisher and Gemma Beeson; this has been funded by the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust. He will also be travelling to Israel to perform at the Jerusalem Music Centre and to broadcast on Israeli National Radio.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Dominic Childs (saxophone) 10.30am
Accompanist – Naoko Makino
Claude Debussy – Rapsodie
Piet Swerts – Klonos
Dominic Childs (25) was born in England and began learning the Saxophone at the age of 12, before going on to study at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester with Jim Muirhead. In 2005, he went on to study at the Royal College of Music with Kyle Horch, where he graduated with a 1st Class Hons Bachelor of Music degree. During this time, he was a winner of the Yamaha European Foundation Scholarship competition and the Jane Melber Saxophone Competition. After completing his undergraduate degree he moved to Cologne, Germany to further his studies at the Hochschule für Musik with Daniel Gauthier. At the beginning of these studies he was awarded a 'DAAD Scholarship' from Germany and in 2010 was awarded a 2 year 'Leverhulme Study Abroad Scholarship', which will allow him to complete his Masters degree in the summer of 2012. During this period, he has participated in several competitions, including being runner-up of the Cologne Hochschule's annual instrumental competition in 2010, as well as being a finalist in the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain Competition in the same year. He was also the first Erasmus exchange student to study at the Conservatoire de Musique in Lyon, where he spent 6 months studying with Jean-Denis Michat.
As well as performing as a soloist, Dominic enjoys performing regularly as an orchestral musician, most recently performing in the Cologne Philharmonic with 'MusikFabrik' in the final concert of this year's 'Acht Brücken' festival. He is the alto saxophonist in two saxophone quartets; 'Forseti' quartet based in Cologne and 'Syzygy' quartet based in London. In October 2011, the Forseti Quartet were awarded the Carl Pontén Prize in the 4th European Chamber Music Competition in Karlsruhe and regularly perform throughout Europe. Syzygy Quartet are Park Lane Group award winners for 2012, and as well has having performed at the 2011 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the quartet made their début performance at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and at St Martin-in-the-Fields in 2012.
Dominic was awarded 2nd Prize in the 2012 Tunbridge Wells International Young Artist Competition. Since 2011 Dominic has been the saxophone tutor for the National Youth Wind Ensemble and a Deputy Saxophone Teacher at the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
John Paul Ekins (piano) 10.50am
Franz Schubert – Impromptu in A flat Op. 90 No. 4
Franz Liszt – Cantique d'Amour S.173 No. 10
François Morel – Deuxieme Etude de Sonorite
John Paul Ekins (25) was born in England. Increasingly in demand as a recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician, he has given performances throughout the UK and Northern Ireland, and overseas in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain and Switzerland, and he has been broadcast on the BBC, on Romanian national television and radio, and on Polish television. In 2009 he graduated from the Royal College of Music with First Class Honours, and in the same year he was awarded the James Anthony Home Scholarship by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study with Charles Owen, where he graduated with Master of Performance (Distinction) in 2011.
He was the recipient of a Music Education Award from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, and receives generous support from Making Music, The Concordia Foundation and The Keyboard Charitable Trust. He has performed at a number of prestigious venues in the UK and abroad, including Bucharest's Athenaeum, Zurich‘s Tonhalle, Prague‘s Martinu Hall, Bergen's Troldhaugen, Krakow's Florianka Hall, London‘s Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Fairfield Hall and Steinway Hall, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, Oxford's Holywell Music Room, Bath‘s Pump Room, Bristol’s Colston Hall and BeIfast's Ulster Hall. He has participated in Master Classes and performed with many renowned musicians and ensembles, such as Salvatore Accardo, the Brodsky String Quartet, Levon Chilingirian and the Chilingirian String Quartet, Peter Donohoe, Bernard Greenhouse, Leslie Howard, Joan Enric Lluna and Martino Tirimo. As a concerto soloist he has performed works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Grieg, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich and Gershwin with orchestras throughout the UK. International Competition successes include 2nd Prizes in the Amy Brant International Piano Competition, the San Sebastian international Piano Competition, and the Oxford International Piano Competition. ln 2010 he was awarded a Jellinek Award in the Guildford Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, and in 2011 he has won First Prize in the Christopher Duke Piano Competition, the Cattermole Award at the Stratford Festival, and 3rd Prize in The Norah Sande Award. Along with this, in past years he has been named the Kingston, Woking and Croydon Festivals' Young Musician of the Year, and the Richmond Festival's Pianist of the Year, receiving an award from Hanna & Sons Pianos Ltd. in the process.
In 2010 he was accepted onto the prestigious Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme 2010, where he worked with sopranos Louise Alder and Hannah Bradbury, taking part in Master Classes with Dame Ann Murray, lan Partridge and Andrew West. Recently he is delighted to have been selected to appear in Making Music's Concert Promoter's Network Brochure 2014-15. He was also the only successful pianist in Making Music's Young Concert Artists Competition 2012, and as such is a Recommended Artist under Making Music's Philip & Dorothy Green Award scheme for 2012. An avid chamber musician, John Paul has an extensive repertoire of piano and string works, from duos to trios, quartets and quintets. He is a past prize-winner in the Anglo-Czechoslovak Trust Chamber Music Competition, and enjoys a busy schedule working with his many chamber music partners. He recently formed The Cremona Piano Trio, with Michal Cwizewicz and Liubov Ulyoysheva, and they have already started to give acclaimed performances in the UK. Despite being together for just a few months, in early 2012 they won the Audience Prize in the final of the St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition. Educational and outreach work is enormously important to John Paul too, and as well as private teaching he has also given workshops and Master Class to great acclaim in the UK. John Paul was particularly honoured to be presented to Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Philip at a Reception for Young Performers at Buckingham Palace in 2011.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Christopher Jacklin (baritone) 11.10am
Accompanist – Tom Blach
W. A. Mozart – Cosi fan tutte K.588 (Donne mie, la fate)
Heinrich Schütz – O Jesu, nomen dulce SWV 308
Michael Head – A Summer Idyll
Gabriel Faure – Trois Melodies Op. 18 (No. 3 – Automne)
Robert Schumann – Belsazar Op. 57
Eric Ewazen – The Tyger
Christopher Jacklin (27) was born in London and is a graduate of ENO’s Opera Works and the Royal College of Music. Studying with Justin Lavender, he is a prize-winner in the Joan Chissell Schumann and AESS Patricia Routledge Competitions, and took the Promising Singer Prize at the Dean & Chadlington Music Festival 2012. He is also a member of the ROSL-winning octet Cries of London.
His various operatic credits include Curio (cover) Julius Caesar (ENO), Oreste, Iphigénie en Tauride (Euphonia, Somerset House), Orpheus, Orpheus in the Underworld (RCM, Britten Theatre), Grosvenor, Patience (RCM, Musée D’Orsay, Paris), Onegin, Eugene Onegin (Bloomsbury Opera), Count Gil, Il Segreto di Susanna (Grimeborn Festival), and Marcello, La Bohème (Silent Opera, The Old Vic Tunnels). He is also gaining recognition in contemporary opera, performing Peter Cowdrey’s The Lovely Ladies at the Buxton Festival, Luis Soldado’s Hotel Suite with the Lisbon Contemporary Music Ensemble, Keith Burnstein’s Manifest Destiny with OperaUpClose, and has made multiple appearances at the Tête-a-Tête Festival.
On the concert platform he has performed Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers with the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble and sang in the closing concert of the 2011 Cardiff Music Festival alongside Dennis O’Neill. He was also invited to perform a recital as part of the 2010 Chilingirian SchumannFest and has sung at the Anghiari Festival, Tuscany, with Southbank Symphonia, Festivalensemble Stuttgart with the Internationale Bachakademie under Helmuth Rilling, and Spitalfields Festival with Cries of London.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Michael Buchanan (trombone) 12.00pm
Accompanist – Tom Blach
Enrique Crespo – Improvisation No. 1 for solo trombone
Stjepan Sucek – Sonata vox Gabrielli
Henri Tomasi – Concerto (1st movement)
Michael Buchanan (19) was born in England and is currently studying academic music at Clare College, Cambridge and the trombone with Ian Bousfield (principal trombone, Vienna Philharmonic) at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He started playing the trombone in 2002 and quickly developed a passion for both the instrument and music generally. In 2005, aged 12, he achieved distinction in his grade 8 trombone, and in September that year joined Wells Cathedral School as a specialist musician to study trombone under Alan Hutt where he remained until 2011. Whilst at Wells he also studied piano under Dominic Hanson and Joseph Tong and conducting (privately) with Phillip Scott. After three years in the National Children’s Orchestra as principal trombone (a 'leverhulme scholar' in his final year), Mike joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain as the youngest member of the year in 2006, aged 13. Two years later, at the age of 15, he progressed to principal trombone of the orchestra, a seat he held for three years until 2011. At age 14, while taking part in the ’London Symphony Orchestra Brass Academy', a course for ’the most promising brass players’ under the age of 24, Mike progressed as a soloist through to the final of the interior solo competition, finishing in second place.
In June 2011, while studying in Vienna with Ian Bousfield, Mike was given the honour of performing with the Wiener Hofkapelle (the Vienna Philharmonic under their ecclesiastical title), playing Schubert’s E flat mass with the Vienna State Opera Chorus and the Vienna Boys Choir at their Sunday morning 'Hofkapelle' concert. Competition successes include the Newbury Young Musician of the Year competition 2008, the Newark Brass Festival 2009, The Two Moors Festival Young Musician's Platform Competition 2010, the Wells Cathedral School 2011 concerto competition and the Cambridge University Symphony Orchestra concerto competition 2012. Compositions written for him include a concert piece by Cecilia McDowell and a concerto by Chris de Souza, premièred alongside David Hill and the Southern Sinfonia. Future engagements include recitals in Cambridge's West Road Concert Hall, Clare College Chapel and KettIe’s Yard as well as for the British Trombone Society and MacMillan Cancer Trust; upcoming concerto performances include the Henri Tomasi trombone concerto, the ’T-bone' concerto by Johan de Meij and the première of a new work by the British composer Giles Swayne.
“One of the most profoundly musical people I have heard after 40 years in the music profession” Chris De Souza
“A tone of exceptional beauty, an exquisitely shaped melodic line and a powerful, rhythmic ability” Cecilia McDowell
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Shulah Oliver (violin) 12.20pm
Accompanist – Simon Marlow
Johannes Brahms – Scherzo from “FAE Sonata”
Robert Schumann – Sonata in A minor Op. 105
1. Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
James MacMillan – After the Tryst
Edward Elgar – La Capricieuse
Shulah Oliver (30) was born in England. She completed her Masters Degree in Performance with Distinction at the Royal Academy of Music in September 2006, having studied violin with Howard Davis. She was awarded the Diploma of the Royal Academy of Music for her outstanding Final Recital. Her research and concert project involved the study of the British composer Eva Ruth Spalding (1882-1969) and performance of her works. She has a passion for introducing audiences to rarely performed works or works of lesser-known British composers and performing their works with the hope of keeping their music alive and a part of our musical heritage. Her studies were assisted by awards from the Elmley and EMI Music Sound Foundations, Musicians’ Benevolent Fund and Winifred Disney.
Shulah graduated from the Royal College of Music with a First Class Honours Joint Principal (violin/viola) degree in 2004. She was a finalist in the 19th Haverhill Sinfonia Soloist Competition and at the Delius Prize and has received commendations in several competitions including the Wilfred Parry Prize, the Winifred Small Prize and Sir Arthur Bliss Prize, and received the John Mundy and D-Day Fund Prize Awards from RAM.
Shulah is a well-respected soloist who is regularly invited to perform concertos with orchestras and give recitals with piano around the country and Europe. She is also the lead violinist in the Astaria String Quartet and Fordante, string player of Duo Armande and was violinist of the Lichnowsky Piano Trio who were prize winners at the 2003 European Music Competition for Youth. As a soloist and ensemble member she has played in venues nationwide and been invited to play in festivals such as the Paganini London Festival, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, 3 Choirs Festival, Worcester Festival, Peter Maxwell Davis Festival, Rutland Boughton Festival, Roseland Festival and St. Endellion Festival.
Shulah was a member of the prestigious European Union Youth Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. She now freelances with orchestras such as the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, English Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Swan and the Emerald Ensemble and is invited to guest lead several orchestras.
In the Summers of 2008, 2009 and 2011 Shulah was the only violinist selected from the UK to take part and perform at the prestigious London Master Classes with Gyorgy Pauk. She has participated in many Master Classes with violinists and violists including Tasmin Little, When Zhou Lee, Thomas Brandis, Bruno Giuranna and Yuri Bashmit.
Shulah plays on a 1918 “Pierre Hel” violin and a Dodd bow.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Marco Danesi (clarinet) 12.40pm
Accompanist – Tom Blach
Francis Poulenc – Sonata
1. Allegro Tristamente
2. Romanza
3. Tres Anime
Valentino Bucchi – Concerto for clarinet solo
1. Moderato
2. Presto
3. Andante
4. Epilogo
Marco Danesi (22) was born in Italy and graduated in clarinet at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, having studied with Professor Sergio Delmastro. He also studied bass clarinet at the J. Horak Academy in Pordenone with Professor Paolo De Gaspari. Marco performs with "Assami", the Annunciata Music Academy, the Brixia Symphony Orchestra and numerous wind orchestras. In 2011, he came third in the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana in Fiesole and was the soloist in a concert at Nott'Arte "le magiche Notti dell'arte" in San Marino.
He has taken part in Master Classes with Luigi Piacatto, first clarinet at the Theater Regio in Torino; Calogero Palermo, first clarinet in the Orchestre National de France and Stefano Cardo, bass clarinet at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Marco attended an advanced course in Holland with Charles Neidich, teacher at the Juilliard School in New York.
Pursuing his interest in modern music, Marco performed with the "Laboratory of contemporary music of Milan" the piece "SUR", which was written by Lauri Mantysaari, who won the first prize at the International Composition Competition.
Marco is now involved in contemporary chamber music collaborating with the Dedalo Ensemble, with whom he has performed a concert at the Quirinale Palace in Rome.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
James Kreiling (piano) 1.00pm
Jonathan Harvey – Vers
L. van Beethoven – Sonata in C minor Op. 111
1. Maestoso
Bela Bartók – 2 Etudes Op. 18
1. Allegro molto
2. Andante sostenuto
James Kreiling (26) was born in England and started playing the piano when he was five, learning first with his Grandmother and then with local piano teacher Raymond Chandler. He started lessons with Professor John York at the age of fourteen and studied with him until 2007. From 2007-2011, he studied with Charles Owen and Martin Roscoe. He is currently working towards a Doctorate at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama studying with Ronan O'Hora. From 2002-2004, James attended Junior Guildhall where he won the Lutine prize. He has won many prizes in the Stratford and East London Festival, as well as second prize in the Emmanuel piano trophy as part of the North London Festival. In 2006, he reached the keyboard final of the Royal Overseas League music competition.
James has performed in Master Classes given by various musicians including Imogen Cooper, Christian Blackshaw, Peter Donohoe, Paul Roberts, Gary Hoffman, Bernhard Roberts, Philip Fowke and Bengt Forsberg. He has performed solo and ensemble concerts in venues such as the Royal Festival and Barbican Halls, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Wigmore Hall and Kettle's Yard, as well as in Switzerland, Greece and at the Edinburgh Festival.
ln the summer of 2007, James performed solo in the BBC Proms’ composer portrait of David Matthews at the Royal Albert Hall and on Radio 3 and in July 2008, he performed at the Spitalfields Festival as part of the Guildhall New Music Ensemble. In 2008, James was selected as one of the Park Lane Group's young artists and this resulted in a solo recital in 2009 at the Purcell Room to great critical acclaim, as well as recitals in St Martin-in-the-Fields and in the Little Missenden Festival.
Other engagements have included a solo appearance at the Barbican Hall playing James Macmillans' Piano Sonata, a lunchtime recital in St David's Hall, Cardiff as part of Duo Margess, as well as a concert tour to France performing Stravinsky's Les Noces and the world premiere of Michael Finnissy's First Piano Quartet with the Da Capo String Trio. In November 2010, James was awarded second prize in the British Contemporary Piano Competition, as well first prize in the Ivan Sutton prize for chamber music at Guildhall in 2011.
Recent performances include a chamber music tour of Scotland, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky concertos in London, a recital in Steinway Hall for the Keyboard Trust, as well as several performances over the summer with his wife, Janneke Brits in France as part of their two piano duo. James is currently professor of Piano and Theory at Eltham College.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Xabier Casal (saxophone) 1.20pm
Accompanist: Marta López
J. S. Bach – Sonata in E flat BWV 1031
2. Siciliano
3. Allegro
Henri Tomasi – Saxophone Concerto (2nd movement)
Luciano Berio – Sequenza VIIb
Xabier Casal (24) was born in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, where he began studying the saxophone at the age of 8 at the Conservatory of Santiago de Compostela under the instruction of Pablo Coello. At the age of 18, he continued studying at the Conservatory of Salamanca with Andrés Gomis and Stefanos Spanopoulos, where he completed his degree with honours.
ln 2009, he won the first prize and an honourable mention at the 'Ramon Guzman saxophone contest', and in 2010, he won the first prize at the 8th National Performing Contest “lntercentros Melómano”, which has allowed him to work extensively as a soloist. He has soloed at important concert halls in Spain, such as in the Teatro Monumental in Madrid (2010) with the Symphony Orchestra of the Spanish National Television (RT/E), in the Miguel Delibes Auditorium in Valladolid (2011) with Castilla y Leon Symphony Orchestra (OSCYL) and in Teatros del Canal in Madrid (2011) with Madrid’s Youth Orchestra, working under conductors such as Santiago Serrate, Alejandro Posada and Sebastián Mariné.
In addition, since 2009 he has participated in a wide range of music festivals in Spain, such as "Ciudad de Úbeda" Internacional Music and Dance Festival, Segovia Festival, Santander Internacional Festival, La Mancha Internacional Music Festival, "Otoño Musical Soriano" or Madrid "CIásicos en Verano". He has made recordings for radio and TV, such as RT/G, TVE and RNE.
He is a member of the Fukio saxophone quartet, with whom he has recently finished recording his first CD at the Royal College of Music in London. Over the last years they have enjoyed a highly successful career, performing regularly throughout Spain, the UK and abroad. Also, Fukio has received awards in the 16th Chamber Music contest Villa de Cox, in the 72nd edition from JJMM Spain both celebrated in 2009, in the 2nd Yamaha contest celebrated in Madrid 2010 and an Honours award in the 1st contest "La porta cIassica" Barcelona 2011.
Currently, he is furthering his studies at the Conservatoire Régional Jacques Thibaud in Bordeaux (France) with Marie-Bernadette Charrier and Hilomi Sakaguchi, where he is doing an intensive study of the contemporary repertoire of the saxophone, as well as chamber music and conducting.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Hermine Huguenel (mezzo soprano) 1.40pm
Accompanist – Brian Stanborough
Giuseppe Verdi – "O, Don Fatale" from Don Carlo
Jules Massenet – "Les Lettres" from Werther
Christoph von Gluck – "Amour, viens..." from Orpheus and Eurydice
Richard Strauss – Zueignung
Hermine Huguenel (50) was born in France. She studied voice at the Périgueux Conservatory (Southwest France) and went on to perfect her craft with Fernand Dumont (Paris Opera). She also actively participated in Master Classes given by luminaries of the lyric scene such as Michèle Command, Gabriel Bacquier, Henry Runey, Thomas Muraco and Romualdo Savastano (Rome Opera). Hermine perfected her acting abilities studying with Michel Fau and Eric Perez, and she was a prizewinner at the internationally renowned vocal competition held in Marmande.
With her excellent vocal qualities, Hermine Huguenel masters a vast repertoire extending from the great roles of Baroque and Classical opera (Ruggiero in Handel’s Alcina, Gluck’s Orpheus) to modern tours-de-force (Miss Flora in Menotti’s The Medium). Her roles also include Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma, Arsace in Rossini’s Semiramide, Azucena in Verdi’s Il Trovatore, Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther, Saint-Saens’s Dalila, Offenbach’s Grand Duchess of Gerolstein.
Roles recently covered at Dijon Opera include Mercedes in Carmen (conducted by D. Trottein) and Hermia in Sauguet’s Les caprices de Marianne (conducted by J. Suhubiette). She sang Suzuki in Madame Butterfly (in Crete, with B. Stanborough conducting) and Flora in Traviata at the Saint-Céré Festival in 2007. Critics praised Hermine’s November 2007 performance of Siébel in Gounod’s Faust at Dijon Opera, referring to her as “a true revelation, thoroughly vocal and intensely dynamic”. The press unanimously hailed her 2008 début as Rosina in the Barber of Seville at Saint-Céré Festival: she embodied the character as “an endearing heroine ..., attractive, cunning, mischievous”, and as a singer she revealed “an excellent talent for Rossinian vocalise” with her “beautiful mezzo coloratura timbre, producing impeccable vocalises”, and “mastering this difficult role’s pitfalls with brio”. Due to her outstanding musical qualities, Hermine Huguenel has been widely sought after for premières of contemporary works – by Decoust (Cabaret X), Jakubowski (Les paupières des dormeurs), Von Burden (Salve Regina), Baudime Jam (Horizons perdus) and others. She also specializes in sacred repertoire: masses and oratorios by Lotti (Missa Sapientiae), Vivaldi (Dixit Dominus), Haydn (Nelson Mass), Schubert (Mass No. 4), Bruckner (Requiem), Mozart (Solemn Vespers) and in July 2008, Verdi’s Requiem with the Paris Symphonic Choir conducted by Xavier Ricour.
In 2010, she made her début at the Puccini Festival Foundation (Torre del Lago, Italy) as Zita in Gianni Schicchi, the Princess in Suor Angelica and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.
In 2011/12 Hermine was Madame Larina in Eugene Onegin (Switzerland and France), Suzuki (Ferrara, Italy), Maddalena (Rigoletto) at Saint-Céré Festival, Carmen and Belle Hélène in France in the title role.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Matthew Gee (trombone) 2.50pm
Accompanist – Louisa Lam
Folke Rabe – Basta
Johann Albrechtsberger – Concerto
1. Allegro moderato
Daniel Schnyder – Sonata
2. An American Ballad
3. Below Surface
Matthew Gee (30) was born in England and is principal trombone with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Aurora Orchestra. He has played with some of the finest orchestras and chamber ensembles in the world, such as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded and appeared in film and television scores, and worked with some of the greatest conductors of this generation.
After studying Music at King’s College London and the Royal College of Music, Matthew took up the position of principal trombone with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. Since then, he has held principal trombone positions with the Orquesta Filharmónica de Santiago in Chile and the Orchestra of Opera North, before starting with the RPO in January 2010.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Matthew has performed all over the UK including London’s Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room. He performed the UK première of Kurt Schwertsik’s Trombone Concerto at St. John's, Smith Square and is a member of the award-winning Lancier Brass Quintet.
Since September 2011, Matthew has been studying for an MA in Specialized Performance at the Hochschule der Künst, Bern, focusing on solo trombone performance. From September this year, he will be teaching in collaboration with Ian Bousfield at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He is on the executive board for the British Trombone Society and takes an active part in promoting the trombone, developing its repertoire and bringing it to new audiences. Matthew is an Antoine Courtois artist and plays an AC440.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Antonio Hallongren (cello) 3.10pm
Accompanist – Tom Blach
Antonin Dvorak – Cello Concerto (1st movement)
Dmitri Shostakovich – Cello Concerto No. 1 (1st movement)
Antonio Hallongren (23) was born in Sweden and began to play the cello at the age of ten for Eva Scheja Helliksson at the local music school. He continued his studies with conductor and cellist Mats Rondin and former principal cellist in the Concertgebouw, Harro Ruijsenaars. Antonio won the first prize in RUM’s competition for ‘Young Soloists’ 2009 and was awarded a special prize in the Danish-Swedish competition Öresunds Solist during the same year. Antonio has been awarded some of Sweden's most prestigious prizes and scholarship for example, the Guido Vecchi Prize and a Scholarship from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He has taken part in Master Classes with world-class cellists such as Ralph Kirshbaum, Gary Hoffman, Steven Isserlis, Truls Mørk and Robert Cohen.
Since 2010, Antonio has been a member of the Berzelii Pianotrio. Pianist Simon Crawford Philips (Kungsbacka Pianotrio) has been their main teacher and mentor. The trio will be playing in international festivals and competitions in 2013. As soloist, Antonio has played with several Swedish amateur orchestras over the years and has participated in Sweden's most famous festivals including the 'Aurora Chamber Music Festival' and 'Festival Omodernt' in which he performed with Staffan Scheja and Hugo Ticciati.
This year, he was elected principal cellist of the Swedish National Youth Orchestra, which toured the USA with concerts in the Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall and Strathmore Center under the direction of Tõnu Kaljuste. He is also a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra. Also this year, Antonio is doing his performance masters at the Royal College of Stockholm with Professor Ola Karlsson and with Frans Helmersson at the Piteå Academy of Music.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Eugenio Catone (piano) 3.30pm
Frédéric Chopin – Sonata Op. 35 (1st movement)
Frédéric Chopin – Etude Op. 25 No. 6
Frédéric Chopin – 3 Mazurkas Op. 50
Eugenio Catone (26) was born in Naples, Italy. A pupil of the pianists A. Pennella and G. Olino, he graduated with top marks and a special mention from the Martucci Conservatory in Salerno and took lessons from P. Badura-Skoda, D. Rivera and B. Canino (Scuola di Musica di Fiesole). He also studied at the Sweelink Conservatory of Amsterdam with M. Verschoor and with the Slovenian pianist S. Pahor (Scuola di Musica "Sinfonia" – Lucca) and has participated in Master Classes held by S. Perticaroli (S. Cecilia Academy), O. Maione, A. Pompa-Baldi, C. Schellenberger and A. Meunier (for chamber music).
Eugenio has received awards in many national and international competitions including 1st prize Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition 2012 and the Bluthner Trophy for the youngest finalist in that competition; semi-finalist, special prize for the best performance of E. Pozzoli's studies "Biella" prize Pozzoli International Piano Competition in Seregno; 3rd prize at the WebPrize Competition; "Albano" prize for the youngest finalist Arcangelo Speranza International Piano Competition 2012 in Taranto; 1st prize Cepu Trophy Nuovi Orizzonti Competition in Arezzo; 1st prize Coppa Pianisti d'Italia Competition in Osimo; semi-finalist Premio Venezia Competition in Venezia; 2nd prize Luigi Nono Competition in Torino; finalist Clementi Competition in Firenze; 1st prize Pergolesi Competition in Naples; 1st prize Anemos Competition in Rome and 3rd prize Premio Rovere d'Oro Competition in Imperia. He was among the pianists selected to take part in the preliminary round at the Chopin Competition at the Warsaw Philharmonic in 2010.
He plays in a duo with the saxophonist D. Luciano (Duo Agorà), which combination has been winning plaudits and prizes – 1st prize "Rospigliosi" Pistoia (with audience prize); "Hyperion" Ciampino, "Euterpe" Bari (Euterpe Cup and critics' prize), "Anemos Arts" Rome, "V.Martina" Massafra (TA), 2nd prize "Rovere d'Oro" S. Bartolomeo a Mare (IM), semi-finalists at the "Terem Crossover Competition St. Petersburg – and the flautist S. Terracciano – 1st prize "Campochiaro" Catania, 2nd prize "Nono" Turin.
His first CD (Temi & Variazioni – Estonia Pianos Netherlands) was awarded with the prize "New Careers 2010" by the Italian Comitate for Music. He has recorded three CDs as soloist and one with Duo Agorà which will be released in winter 2012.
Eugenio Catone has broadcast for Radio Vaticana ("Diapason") and has performed under the baton of D. Lardi, M.Vanni, F. Pasqualetti with OGU, Sonora Sax and Finchley Chamber orchestras. He gives recitals both as soloist and chamber musician in many European countries including Poland, France, Spain, UK, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Croatia and the Netherlands and has been selected to take part in various festivals in Italy and abroad.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Fraser Langton (clarinet) 3.50pm
Accompanist – James Willshire
Robert Clerisse – "Promenade"
Rory Boyle – Burble for solo clarinet
Claude Debussy – Première Rhapsodie
Fraser Langton (23) was born in England. He graduated in 2011 from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) where he received a Bachelor of Music with Honours of the first class. He recently completed his Masters of Music Performance at the RCS in which he achieved a distinction.
He won most major prizes at the Conservatoire including the Governors’ Recital Prize for Woodwind, subsequently giving a recital with accompanist Scott Mitchell on BBC Radio Scotland. He also won the Classical Concerto Competition, culminating in a performance of Weber‘s Clarinet Concerto No. 1 at Glasgow Cathedral conducted by David Danzmayr.
Other concerto performances with the RCS Symphony Orchestra include Copland’s Clarinet Concerto and Debussy’s Première Rhapsody, which received great critical acclaim. In February 2012, Fraser performed Francaix’s Clarinet Concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
As a professional orchestral musician, Fraser performs regularly with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has appeared at festivals as diverse as the BBC Proms (live broadcast), Perth International Festival of the Arts, Edinburgh and Lammermuir Festivals. Fraser was selected in 2011 to take part in the prestigious London Symphony Orchestra Academy and was invited to Canada to be a member of the Banff Festival Orchestra in summer 2012.
Fraser is in growing demand as a solo recitalist having recently performed at the Leeds International Concert Season and Cardiff University Concert Series. He will give his débuts at the Wigmore Hall and St John’s Smith Square in London this coming year.
Fraser has won an impressive list of esteemed scholarships and awards including the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Scholarship, the Kenneth Loveland Gift and the Busenhart-Morgan-Evans award of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He has also won scholarships from the Countess of Munster Trust and Musicians Benevolent Fund. He was recently awarded the coveted ‘Princes Prize’ and Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, an award to recognise ‘the most promising instrumentalist or singer from the company’s previous award winners’.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Emily Dellit (violin) 4.10pm
Accompanist – Tom Blach
Johannes Brahms – Sonata No. 3 Op. 108
1. Allegro
Witold Lutoslawski – Subito
Maurice Ravel – Tzigane
Emily Dellit (27) was born in Brisbane, Australia and began learning the violin at the age of 6. She studied at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University with Michele Walsh and upon graduating in 2006 was awarded First Class Honours in Advanced Performance and the University Medal for outstanding academic achievement. Emily has appeared as a soloist with several of the Australian orchestras and was awarded First Prize in some of Australia's most prestigious competitions, including the National Youth Concerto Competition and the North Queensland Concerto and Vocal Competition.
Since 2007, Emily has lived in Europe studying violin and viola in Zurich, Switzerland with Rudolf Koelman and Wendy Enderle-Champney, and in London, where she was recently awarded a Masters in performance with distinction from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with David Takeno. Emily has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician in Austria, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Israel, the USA and Australia. She has also participated in Master Classes with Richard Tognetti, Ilan Gronich, Yair Kless, Olivier Charlier and Ida Haendel.
EmiIy’s studies in the UK were generously supported by the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Young and Emerging Artist Award and the Dorothy Fraser Scholarship. Emily has a particular love for chamber music and has performed alongside artists including Rudolf Koelman, Satu Vänska, Andriy Vitovich, Boris Brovtsyn, Oleg Kogan and the Badke Quartet. Emily is a founding member of the London-based Geminiani Quartet and as second violinist in this group, she has performed in Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Schoenberg Centre in Vienna, and has appeared in the City of London Festival, the Kammermusik Festival Salzburg, and the International Chamber Music Festival Viana in Portugal. As a chamber musician, Emily has participated in Master Classes with members of the Kuss, Endellion, Takacs, and Alban Berg quartets.
A versatile musician, Emily enjoys a varied and dynamic career. As well as being regularly invited to return to Australia for performances with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Emily teachers at James Allen's Saturday School for the Performing Arts in London, is performing in the Welsh National Opera's upcoming season of Cosi fan Tutte, and is in the planning stages of a chamber music project spanning the UK, France, and the Balkans.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Anthony Brown (saxophone) 4.30pm
Accompanist – Leo Nicholson
Mark-Anthony Turnage – Two Elegies Framing A Shout
1. Shout
2. Elegy No. 2
Paule Maurice – Tableaux de Provence
2. Cansoun per ma Mio
3. La Boumiano
5. Lou Cabridan
Anthony Brown (23) was born in England and has recently completed the International Artist Diploma in chamber music from the Royal Northern College of Music on a full scholarship. During his time as an undergraduate on the BMus course, he has honed a vast skill set that has launched his professional career in music. Under the tuition of Rob Buckland, Carl Raven and Andy Scott, Anthony has become a self-assured orchestral player, soloist and ensemble player. At the pinnacle of his fourth year of study at the RNCM, Anthony attained 100% in his final recital; a first for any woodwind student at the RNCM, as well as a First Class Honours degree. In June 2011, he played Berio's Sequenza Vllb for soprano saxophone in the RNCM's woodwind soloist competition, winning first prize. Later on in the year he was nominated by the principle, Jonty Stockdale, for the Worshipful Company of Musicians' prestigious silver medal. Following an audition with The Company, Anthony has been successful in securing a solo recital with pianist Leo Nicholson at the Wigmore Hall on the 1st July 2013. In 2011 he joined Absolution Saxophone Quartet and shortly after, performed Tristan Keuris' Saxophone Concerto with the RNCM Symphony Orchestra, a piece that had not been performed in the UK for over 20 years. They have also been accepted onto schemes for Making Music, Live Music Now! and Music in Hospitals. He enjoys working closely with special needs children, providing workshops with the quartet across the North West.
Anthony made his symphony orchestra debut with the RNCM in 2010, performing RaveI's Bolero, which later led to a performance with Manchester Concert Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall in December 2010 performing the same piece. He has always been involved and repeatedly led many of the sections throughout his four years of study, most notably the illustrious RNCM Wind Orchestra on the recording of Gary Carpenter's Doubles Concerto with soloists Paul Goody and Linda Merrick in October 2010, and the RNCM Big Band with Gwilym Simcock in April 2010.
His love for contemporary music led to one of the most well received ensemble performances he has given; a UK Première of Friedrich Cerha's Saxophone Quartet at the RNCM's Kaleidoscope Festival as leader of the Urbis Saxophone Quartet in 2010. This performance sparked great interest from members of staff within the institution and led to a concerto performance of John Casken's Distant Variations for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Orchestra on 4th March 2011 at Manchester University. Anthony‘s versatility means that he is also a confident jazz player. He has enjoyed European competition success as part of the saxophone section in Beats and Pieces Big Band winning the Burghausen Jazz Prize 2011. This provided much needed funding for their first album Big Ideas, released at the start of 2012. The band also headlined the Brit Jazz Festival in 2011 at Ronnie Scott‘s.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Tianhong Yang (piano) 4.50pm
J. S. Bach arr. Busoni – Chaconne
Franz Liszt – Rigoletto
Tianhong Yang (21) was born in Wuhan, in the province of Hubei, Central China. She began studying the piano at the early age of 4 and became a student at the Middle School of the Wuhan Conservatory of Music in September 2003 where she was supported by a government scholarship. In addition to her specialist music studies, she attended the general course of the school where she was also very successful and, after graduating in 2006, she won a place at the Middle School attached to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing to complete her studies. After three years she graduated at the top of her year and was offered a place at the prestigious Central Conservatoire in Beijing to continue her music education.
However, she chose to study in the UK, seeking a different musical environment within the European tradition and, after a successful audition in 2008, she was privileged to be offered the first ever Steinway scholarship and a place at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
In her first year, Tianhong won first prize in the RWCMD concerto competition - the first ever first year student to do so – and performed Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 in St David’s Hall, Cardiff in June 2010. She has since worked with the RWCMD chamber orchestra performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 K.467 in Hoddinott Hall in December 2010.
In 2011, Tianhong also won the Jacobson and Eric Hodges Prizes and, as a scholarship holder of The Thomas Fredrick Willetts Foundation, was invited to perform in a charity event in London alongside Julian Lloyd Webber. In 2011 she also featured in a piano series supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council and continues to give concerts throughout the UK. In June 2012, Tianhong was privileged to perform Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in St. David's Hall.
Tianhong is founder and pianist of the Yang piano trio which gives recitals within Wales and collaborating with the Gould piano trio in a recent a cycle of all the Beethoven trios. They were invited by the London Bridge Ensemble to play at the Winchester Chamber Music Festival in the summer of 2010 and also to play for the piano trio society of Warwick University in 2011.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Robert Fant (horn) 5.50pm
Accompanist – Tom Blach
Prosper Van Eechaute – Nachtpoema
W. A. Mozart – Concerto No. 4 K.495
1. Allegro moderato
Robert Fant (33) was born in the United States of America and began playing the horn at the age of 22 without having any previous knowledge of music. He attended the University of Michigan (on full scholarship) where he earned a BMus with famed hornist Louie Stout. Additional studies have taken Robert to the College Conservatory for a MMus (with scholarship) and the New England Conservatory (with scholarship) for an Artist Diploma. He has studied with Froydis Wekre, Wolfgang Tombach, Lowell Greer, John Cerminaro and Randy Gardner. Currently he is pursuing a PGDip at the Royal Northern College of Music with Julian Plummer and Lindsey Stoker as the International ABRSM scholar where last year, he was a finalist and first horn ever chosen in the RNCM Gold Medal Competition.
Robert’s diverse performance path has taken him around the world as an orchestral, chamber and solo musician. He is a former member of the internationally-based Verbier Festival Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Apprentice, Jeunesse Musicales World Orchestra, Deutsche-Skandinaviscke Jugend-Philharmonie, American Russian Young Artist Orchestra and Internationale Junge Orchester. He is an extra with the Hallé, Opera North and Royal Liverpool orchestras and current principal horn of the Mozart Symphony Orchestra. In the USA, Robert has been a member of or performed with the Aspen Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, Chautauqua Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival and the Round Top Music Festival. Robert has performed with the Boston Ballet, Boston Pops, Indianapolis Symphony, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Maine Ballet, Orlando Philharmonic, Key West Symphony, Florida Orchestra and the New World Symphony.
He has been a finalist in the National Federation for the Advancement of the Arts and Women’s Association of the Minnesota Orchestra Concerto competitions and is a former winner of the Music Teachers National Association. He can be found on recordings with NAXOS, NPR radio, University of Michigan records, Verbier Festival records, Aspen Festival CDs and the Lesser Foundation Archive recording of the show Where’s Charlie. He is the solo horn for the Sony Pictures film The Tattooist. Robert is the former Associate Principal horn of the Auckland Philharmonia and is looking forward to performing for the audiences of the United Kingdom.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Heather Tuach (cello) 6.10pm
Accompanist – Yoko Misumi
Benjamin Britten – Sonata in C
1. Dialogo
Frédéric Chopin – Sonata in G minor Op. 65
1. Allegro Moderato
Heather Tuach (34) was born in Canada and is from the west coast of Newfoundland. She has been cellist of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet since 2008. Highlights with the Quartet have included concerts at Wigmore Hall, Kings Place and Conway Hall in London, live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 'In Tune', two cruises of the Aegean Sea, tours throughout the UK and abroad, including South Africa and Pennsylvania and CD recordings, including the Bruckner String Quintet on gut strings (Linn Records). Heather has freelanced with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra. She has also worked with early music ensembles such as the Gabrieli Consort and Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.
In recent years, Heather has given solo performances in North America, Britain and Europe. She recently formed a duo with Montreal-based Armenian pianist Patil Harboyan with whom she has performed in New York, Newfoundland and Quebec. The duo has plans to record a CD of Armenian folk music for cello and piano in 2013. Other notable performances have included Shostakovich's Concerto No. 2 with the Academy of St. Olave's in York, the Bach Cello Suites on the 'Bach Journey' in Germany, solos at the Ryedale Festival and York Late Music Festival in England and the Haydn C major Cello Concerto with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra.
Heather studied cello at Memorial University of Newfoundland, McGill University in Montreal, the International Menuhin Music Academy in Switzerland and finally Stony Brook University in New York, where she completed a Doctorate of Music in 2009. Her main cello teachers were Antonio Lysy and Colin Carr and chamber music coaches included Marcel Saint-Cyr, cellist of the Orford String Quartet, and members of the Emerson String Quartet. Heather's cello is a copy of a 1705 Matteo Goffriller, made by English luthier Roger Hansell in 1993.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Yann Passabet-Labiste (violin) 6.30pm
Accompanist – Tom Blach
P. I. Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto (1st movement)
Yann Passabet-Labiste (33) was born in France and began playing violin at the age of 3. By 8 years, he had reached many conservatory levels and was making public appearances. In 1993, he was the youngest to win the Gold Medal at the National Conservatory of Ville d’Avray and went on to study with Gérard Poulet then, Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabedian. Whilst a student, he was awarded many further prizes with distinction, which led to engagements as recitalist and orchestral soloist. At 18, he was selected by France Music radio from more than 100 candidates to perform a broadcast concert in Paris and further successful concerts were recorded as CDs.
In 1998, he entered the Superior Conservatory of Geneva (Switzerland) in the class of Jean-Pierre Wallez and completed his Masters degree in just one year before receiving in 2001 a brilliant first prize of virtuosity in violin (final prize), the first prize of trio and quartet with a special distinction. He also studied contemporary music with Jean-Jacques Balet and baroque music with Michel Kiener. The following year, though involved with many concerts, radio interviews and recordings, a close collaboration with Gérard Lutz, piano teacher at the Conservatory of Geneva lasted several years with concerts all around France.
After considerable academic and performance success, Yann took the position of violin solo in 2001 with the Saint Jean Orchestra in Geneva for a year. He was also invited to play as soloist with the Geneva Orchestra and the Symphonic Orchestra of the Mont Blanc. His work as a soloist continued with the Instrumental Ensemble of Geneva and the Studio Opera of Geneva. In 2003, he began playing in concerts with the young virtuoso pianist, Jean Dube (Franz Liszt Grand Prize winner) and that year was the only player engaged on audition by the Swiss Romande Orchestra in Geneva. A year later, when he was only 25, he occupied the seat of violin solo at the Opera of Toulon France Méditerranée in France.
Yann joined the famous Tonhalle Orchestra of Zürich in Switzerland in 2005 and played numerous concerts there for four years touring with the best conductors, the most famous soloists such as Charles Dutoit, Bernard Haitink, Marek Janowski, Mariss Jansons, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Frans Brüggen, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Sir Neville Marriner, Armin Jordan, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Gustav Rivinius, Heinrich Schiff, Truls Mørk, Alfred Brendel, Christian Zaccharias, Krystian Zimerman, Martha Argerich, Radu Lupu, Emanuel Ax, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yefim Bronfman, Emmanuel Pahud, James Galway, Heinz Holliger, Pinchas Zukerman, Gil Shaham, Christian Tetzlaff, Thomas Zehetmair, Sarah Chang, Julian Rachlin, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Julia Fischer, Leonidas Kavakos, Frank-Peter Zimmerman etc. and in some halls such as the Tonhalle of Zürich, The KKL of Luzern, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Wigmore and the Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms, the Luxembourg Philharmonic, the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebow, the Pleyel Hall in Paris, The Osaka Symphonic, the Suntory Hall in Japan etc.
During 2007-8, Yann participated in the Master Classes of Eduard Schmieder and Igor Ozim at the Salzburg Academy in Austria and also met the violinist Pierre Amoyal who described Yann as a musician of rare talent. During a concert series with the famous pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yann was auditioned and received great compliments from the Maestro. Eduard Schmieder has commented upon the uniqueness of Yann's playing, likening it to a combination of dramatism and poetry.
Yann decided to leave the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zürich in 2009 to regain control of his violinist career then in 2011, he was appointed violin solo in other Swiss orchestras, the Biel/Bienne Symphonic, the Thun Schweizer Kammeroper, the Orchesterverein of Interlaken and the Zürich Symphonic Orchestra. Yann has been well placed in many international competitions and was in 2001 laureate of the Tibor Varga International Competition (Switzerland). Yann Passabet-Labiste plays a modern French violin signed Christophe Girardot (Violin maker in Dijon - France).
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Samson Tsoy (piano) 6.50pm
P. I. Tchaikovsky arr. Pletnev – from “The Nutcracker”
1. March
2. Dance of Fairy Dragee
3. Andante Maestoso
Franz Liszt – Tarantella
Samson Tsoy (23) was born in Kazakhstan and started to study piano when he was 8 years old with Olga Amelina at the Inozemtsevskaya School of Music. After graduation from school, he studied at the Krasnodar N. Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music and the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. For many years famous Russian musicians Nelly Mezhlumova and Yury Airapetian were his teachers. He was also lucky to study at the Verbier Academy where he received tuition from amongst others Dmitry Bashkirov, Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich, Emanuel Ax, and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
In August 2012, Samson Tsoy became a Laureate of the prestigious Santander International Piano Competition Paloma O’Shea in Spain. Previous awards include prizes at more than 20 International Piano Competitions. Also, he was awarded numerous awards and scholarships from the Goverment of Russian Federation, Hattori Foundation, Philharmonia Orchestra Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, Regional Foundation “Russian Performing Art”, Mstislav Rostropovich Music Foundation. In 2008 Vladimir Putin awarded him with the prestigious Russian prize for arts the National President's Order "Young talent of Russia".
Samson had the honour to play at the jubilee celebrations of Rodion Shchedrin and was highly praised by the composer. He has appeared at many of the world’s most prestigious festivals and concert halls including the Verbier Festival, Santander Festival, Casalmaggiore Festival, Tongyeong Festival, Mstislav Rostropovich International Music Festival in Moscow, “Krasnodarskaya Kamerata” International Chamber Music Festival, Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, Konzerhaus in Berlin, Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria and Stadthalle in Kronberg.
In August 2010, he made a recording at the Abbey Road Studios in London. He has taken part in the Master Classes of such outstanding musicians as B. Douglas, S. Dorensky, N. Goerner, K. Hellwig, B. Petrushansky, Lee Kum-Sing, P. Nersessian, S. Scheja, A. Skavronsky, A. Vardi, T. Vasary and M. Voskresensky.
Since 2011, Samson continues his education at the Royal College of Music in London as an RCM Scholar with professor Norma Fisher and Vanessa Latarche (chamber music).
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Daniel Broncano (clarinet) 7.10pm
Accompanist – Steven Neugarten
Claude Debussy – Première Rhapsody
Carl Nielsen – Concerto Op. 57
1. Allegretto un poco
2. Poco adagio
Daniel Broncano (25) was born in Madrid, Spain. Acclaimed for his “dazzling virtuosity” and “inventive playing”, Daniel Broncano is rapidly emerging as an exciting young soloist and recitalist. He has recently been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes: Making Music Award for Young Concert Artists 2011, Royal College of Music Clarinet Prize 2012, the Madrid Youth Orchestra Soloists´Competition, the Clarinet and Saxophone Society Competition 2010, the Trinity Soloists´Competition 2010, the Wilfred Hambleton Chamber Music Award 2010 and the Albox Chamber Music Contest 2005, Spain amongst others.
Daniel´s recent performances as a soloist include concertos by Stanford, Nielsen, Weber and Mozart. He has also recorded the Copland Clarinet Concerto for BBC3 and has appeared as a soloist at the Aberystwyth Music Festival 2011 with the Orion Symphony Orchestra performing Spohr´s 4th Clarinet Concerto. As a passionate contemporary music performer he has given the world première of Jekyll´s Confession for solo clarinet by Jesús Aranda and Simone Spagnolo´s opera It makes no difference for singers, clarinet and ensemble. Future solo engagements include a debut recital in Moscow Conservatoire (representing RCM) and Weber´s 2nd Clarinet Concerto in 2013.
His wide recital experience has been shaped together with the German pianist Johannes Mnich. The Broncano/Mnich Duo (supported by Concordia Foundation) has performed extensively in the UK, Spain and Germany and will appear soon in major venues such as Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James´s Piccadilly in London, Leeds Chamber Series and Teatros del Canal in Madrid. Daniel has recently performed with other chamber groups including the Erdesz Quartet, the Billroth Ensemble and the Mocanu Trio.
Daniel studied in Madrid with Justo Sanz and in Paris with Nicolas Baldeyrou. He has recently finished a Masters´Course at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance studying clarinet with Joan Enric Lluna and Michael Whight, thanks to a Leverhulme Mentorship Scholarship and a Spanish Performers Association Scholarship. He has currently attained an Artist Diploma at the Royal College of Music thanks to a full Ibercaja/Mackerras Scholarship. He has appeared with Chroma Ensemble, Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid, Sound Collective and the Chipping Campden Festival Academy Orchestra. He has been a member of the Madrid Youth Orchestra, the Spanish National Youth Orchestra and the Young Musicians’ Symphony Orchestra.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Nejc Kuhar (guitar) 7.30pm
J. S. Bach – Lute Suite BWV 997 (Fugue)
Vojislav Ivanovic – Café No. 3
1. Andante, quasi Adagio, improvisando
2. Dance
Nejc Kuhar – Black Hole
Nejc Kuhar (25) was born in Slovenia. He started to study guitar under the guidance of Professor Anton Črnugelj. Kuhar continued his guitar studies in Vienna with the guitarist and professor Alvaro Pierri, while at the same time studying for a Masters Degree in composition with the composers Reiner Bischof and Christian Minkowitsch.
His musical feeling and ideas are not only part of his guitar interpretations, but also of his composition; he mostly writes for guitar, chamber music and music for solo instruments. He has won some important composition competitions for guitar, which opened the door to the international guitar world. He has also won various international composition prizes for other instruments (Gustav Mahler composition competition, IBS and Recital composition competition for double bass...), which demonstrate his works as being a mature and fresh addition of real quality to the world repertoire. Since 2009, his guitar music has been published by Canadian Les Productions d’OZ; among other pieces is Sonata No.1, which was given a good review in a Classical Guitar Magazine.
Recently, the Publishing and Record Label of the RTV Slovenia has released Nejc Kuhar's CD String Modulations with his music for guitar played by Mak Grgić with some of the finest Slovenian musicians of the young generation. In May 2011, his piece Concerto for Timpani and Percussion Ensemble was performed in Vienna Musikverein and in 2012, it will be performed in Konzerthaus.
Numerous international prizes of highest merit have come his way also as a guitarist (first prize in the Primož Ramovš competition, first prize in the TEMSIG competition, second prize in the World guitar composition for guitarists-composers in Novi Sad…). Such accolades recognize his worth as a solo guitarist and composer, as well as for being part of the Prokofiev guitar duo, which alongside positive critical acclaim and the respect of the public, both at home and abroad, are rare for such a young artist.
Kuhar is regularly giving solo and chamber concerts, playing everything from Baroque, via the Romantic period to the 20th century repertoire and beyond. What makes his concerts special is the inclusion of his own pieces.