Piano Recital: Gordon Fergus-Thompson
As Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music, Gordon Fergus-Thompson is a most welcome return visitor to the Club. He is a major pianist with a worldwide reputation and his 2010 tour of Japan received great critical acclaim. He has performed with numerous orchestras and has a large concerto repertoire. His recordings of the music of Debussy and Scriabin are considered to be benchmarks and we have the opportunity to hear his version of the unusual sound world of Scriabin at this concert.
Gordon Fergus-Thompson is in great demand as a lecture-recitalist and teacher in the UK, USA, Australia and the Far East. His skill and sensitivity at a recent Oxford Piano Week music class much impressed our concert organiser!
His programme tonight will include:
Brahms 3 Intermezzi, Op 117
Schumann Kreisleriana
Chopin
Rachmaninoff
Scriabin 3rd Sonata
....more information
Wed 25 January
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Kosmos Ensemble with Milos Milivojevic
Harriet Mackenzie, violin, Meg Hamilton, viola, Shirley Smart, cello.
Internationally acclaimed trio Kosmos unites the rich texture of the string trio with the depth and integrity of traditional music from the Balkans and beyond. With their inspiring fusion of folk music traditions from around the world, sophisticated jazz glides magically into wild gipsy fiddling, emotive Jewish music into hot-blooded tango, free improvisation into Arabic melody.
Performing highlights include a number of live radio broadcasts and festival appearances. As well as writing their own original material, Kosmosenjoys collaborating both with composers and with other prestigious artists, not least of which is the international prize-winning accordionist for this evening, Milos Milivojevic.
....more information
Wed 8 February
Viola and piano Duo: Sarah Jane Bradley and Anthony Hewitt
Two musicians who are widely recognised for their musicality and who are embarked on major careers. Sarah-Jane was a member of both the Leopold String Trio and Sorrel String Quartet and is now a member of the Fidelio Piano Quartet. Her recordings have brought her great acclaim and her playing of Delius made that CD the Editor's Choice for Classic FM magazine. She champions British composers.
Anthony Hewitt, one of Sarah-Jane's regular duo partners, has performed in major world venues and his duo partners have included Emma Johnson and Natalie Clein. Gramaphone Magazine regard him as "a remarkably gifted artist". In May 2012 he will cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats playing concerts along the route and raising money for charities. As a triathlonist (?!) he is a man after our music organiser's heart!
They will play:
Mendelssohn Sonata in C minor
Delius Caprice and Sonata no 2
Yorke Bowen Sonata no 1
Prokofiev 2 excerpts from Romeo and Juliet
....more information (Sarah-Jane) (Anthony)
Wed 22 February
Kudos Percussion Duo: - Emma Crossley and Rhys Matthews
Emma Crossley and Rhys Matthews graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in 2010, each with a distinction in Master of Music. They formed Kudos Percussion Duo a year earlier and have enjoyed great success performing at numerous venues and festivals across the UK including the Swaledale and Hexham music festivals and the Oundle International Festival to public acclaim. They are also extremely pleased to be members of 'Live Music Now' with which they are involved in a number of projects.
They have performed with RNCM orchestras at venues such as the Roal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Bridgewater Hall. They have also performed in America at the WASBE International Festival and twice in Italy at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte di Montepulciano.
Their performance will include:
Fanfare for two African drums, Rhys Matthews & Emma Crossley
Alborada del Gracioso, Maurice Ravel
Ghanaia, Mathias Schnitt
Circles of Ice, Eckhard Kopetski
Fantasie Impromptu, Frederic Chopin
Kaleidoscope, Eric Sammut
This concert is given with support from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust
....more information
Wed 7 March
Mavron String Quartet
Christiana Mavron and Katy Rowe violins
Niamh Ferris viola
Lucy Simmonds cello
Mavron is a Welsh quartet of 10 years standing; the quartet has enjoyed two residencies
including the National Concert Hall of Wales. The group is committed to music from
varying eras and has commissioned a number of new works. An important recent develop-
ment is that the quartet has been chosen by the Concert Promoters’ Group of Making Music.
The programme contrasts well with the Ardeo concert from the autumn and club members
may have the chance to find out about some music they never even knew existed. For
example a short piece by Arvo Part, and some music which appears in the film ""Kismet":
this film reference may tug a few chords in the audience.
Their programme includes:
Borodin String Quartet No 2
Korngold String Quartet
Part Fratres
....more information
Wed 21 March
Piano Recital: Kausikan Rajeshkumar
A young pianist-composer who came to prominance a few years ago as a BBC Young Musician finalist. Kusikan attended the Purcell School and then, despite schloarship offers from the major music academies, went instead to Cambridge before moving on to the Royal College of Music.
His performance tonight will include:
Beethoven Sonata Op 31-3
Ravel Tombeau de Couperin
Chopin 4 Ballades
Liszt excerpts from Ennees de Pelerinage book 1
Own composition Italy + Mirage
....more information
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Wed 6 June
Celebrity Summer Concert: - Northern Brass
Northern Brass is the latest exciting and versatile brass quintet to emerge from
Manchester.
Its members met at the Royal Northern College of Music and come from extremely
different musical backgrounds; this contributes to their diverse and extensive repertoire.
Individually, Northern Brass' members have played with groups including the BBC
Philharmonic Orchestra, the Halle Orchestra, the Black Dyke Band, Brighouse and
Rastrick Brass Band and toured with pop bands including the "Ting Tings"
....more information
