Concert Season 2023 - 2024
Every concert begins at 7.30pm at The Fratry, Carlisle Cathedral
21st September 2023 ~ Alena Walentin, flute and Niklas Johansen, guitar
http://www.alenawalentin.com
http://www.niklasjohansen.dk/
http://www.niklasjohansen.dk/
These two award-winning musicians have joined forces, bringing international experience as soloists and chamber musicians onto stage as a flute and guitar duo. They showcase some of the finest works for this combination of instruments. Niklas and Alena are both based in Copenhagen and teach at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.
Alena Walentin is an Altus Artist, a former vice-chair of the British Flute Society and an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. Alena has gained a reputation as one of the most versatile young flautists, being a soloist, chamber musician and guest principal flute with leading orchestras, as well as workshop leader, adjudicator, chamber music tutor and flute professor.
Niklas Johansen is a classical guitarist born in 1989 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has already received international acclaim after winning several awards and prizes, such as the Sonning Talent Prize, the Danish Radio P2 Talent Prize and seven 1st prizes at international guitar competitions. He has played concerts as a soloist and in chamber music groups in 16 countries all around the world, and he has performed as a soloist with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Pleven Philharmonic.
Alena Walentin is an Altus Artist, a former vice-chair of the British Flute Society and an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. Alena has gained a reputation as one of the most versatile young flautists, being a soloist, chamber musician and guest principal flute with leading orchestras, as well as workshop leader, adjudicator, chamber music tutor and flute professor.
Niklas Johansen is a classical guitarist born in 1989 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has already received international acclaim after winning several awards and prizes, such as the Sonning Talent Prize, the Danish Radio P2 Talent Prize and seven 1st prizes at international guitar competitions. He has played concerts as a soloist and in chamber music groups in 16 countries all around the world, and he has performed as a soloist with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Pleven Philharmonic.

Alena and Niklas have been able to travel to the United Kingdom with
the help of the Danish Arts Foundation and Art Music Denmark.
Alena and Niklas have been able to travel to the United Kingdom with
the help of the Danish Arts Foundation and Art Music Denmark.
Programme:
Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) - Min Jesus, lad mit hjerte få (My Jesus, let my heart receive),
Tågen letter (The mist is rising)
Béla Bartók (1881-1945) - Six Romanian Folk Dances
Katherine Hoover (1937-2018) - Canyon Echoes Op 45
Eugène Bozza (1905-1991) - Image for flute solo - Trois Pièces, for flute and guitar
Interval
Claudia Montero (1962-2021) - Suite de los Buenos Aires
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) - Étude No 11, for guitar solo - Distribuição de flores, for flute and guitar
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) - Histoire du tango
Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) - Min Jesus, lad mit hjerte få (My Jesus, let my heart receive),
Tågen letter (The mist is rising)
Béla Bartók (1881-1945) - Six Romanian Folk Dances
Katherine Hoover (1937-2018) - Canyon Echoes Op 45
Eugène Bozza (1905-1991) - Image for flute solo - Trois Pièces, for flute and guitar
Interval
Claudia Montero (1962-2021) - Suite de los Buenos Aires
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) - Étude No 11, for guitar solo - Distribuição de flores, for flute and guitar
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) - Histoire du tango
12th October 2023 ~ Leah Nicholson, piano and Amber Emson, violin
https://www.amberemson.com/
Two wonderfully talented young musicians, both multi-award winners and full-scholarship recipients at the Royal Academy of Music. The duo met during their studies at Chetham’s School for Music and have been playing together ever since.
Leah Nicholson began studying with Galina Sandovskaya in St Petersburg, Russia, and Alicja Fiderkiewicz in Carlisle, UK, before continuing her musical education at Chetham’s School of Music in the UK with John Gough and Dr Murray McLachlan. She has won top prizes at numerous competitions internationally and throughout the UK, including the 2014 International Chopin Festival in Mazovia, Poland, Polyphonica International Competition in St Petersburg, Russia, the Scottish International Youth Piano Competition, the Loretto James Waterhouse Piano Competition, EPTA Piano Competition UK and Chetham’s Bösendorfer Piano Competition. Leah is also the youngest ever winner of the Keldwyth Young Musicians Award.
Amber started playing violin at the age of five as a pupil of Natasha Boyarsky. Between 2016-19 Amber studied with Maciej Rakowski at the Royal College of Music’s Junior Department. Since 2020 she studies at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of So-Ock Kim. She has participated in mastercourses with Pavel Vernikov, Maurizio Fuks and Kolja Blacher. In 2018, she was awarded 2nd prize at the 10th International Competition for Violin and Viola ‘Szymon Goldberg’ in Meissen. In June 2019 she won 1st prize in the National Round of Germany’s ‘Jugend Musiziert’ competition and 1st prize at the the International Music Competition Hohenpriessnitz.
Leah Nicholson began studying with Galina Sandovskaya in St Petersburg, Russia, and Alicja Fiderkiewicz in Carlisle, UK, before continuing her musical education at Chetham’s School of Music in the UK with John Gough and Dr Murray McLachlan. She has won top prizes at numerous competitions internationally and throughout the UK, including the 2014 International Chopin Festival in Mazovia, Poland, Polyphonica International Competition in St Petersburg, Russia, the Scottish International Youth Piano Competition, the Loretto James Waterhouse Piano Competition, EPTA Piano Competition UK and Chetham’s Bösendorfer Piano Competition. Leah is also the youngest ever winner of the Keldwyth Young Musicians Award.
Amber started playing violin at the age of five as a pupil of Natasha Boyarsky. Between 2016-19 Amber studied with Maciej Rakowski at the Royal College of Music’s Junior Department. Since 2020 she studies at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of So-Ock Kim. She has participated in mastercourses with Pavel Vernikov, Maurizio Fuks and Kolja Blacher. In 2018, she was awarded 2nd prize at the 10th International Competition for Violin and Viola ‘Szymon Goldberg’ in Meissen. In June 2019 she won 1st prize in the National Round of Germany’s ‘Jugend Musiziert’ competition and 1st prize at the the International Music Competition Hohenpriessnitz.
Programme:
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) - 2 Pieces for violin and piano
César Franck (1822-1890) - Sonata in A major
Interval
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) - Sonata for violin and piano No 1 in F minor Op 80
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) - Tzigane, for violin and piano
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) - 2 Pieces for violin and piano
César Franck (1822-1890) - Sonata in A major
Interval
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) - Sonata for violin and piano No 1 in F minor Op 80
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) - Tzigane, for violin and piano
9th November 2023 ~ Trio Meister Raro
(Robert Plane, clarinet, Rachel Roberts, viola and Tim Horton, piano)
(Robert Plane, clarinet, Rachel Roberts, viola and Tim Horton, piano)
https://tashmina.co.uk/ensembles/trio-meister-raro/ Photo by Andrei Luca
Trio Meister Raro was formed in 2022, a natural extension of Rachel Roberts, Robert Plane and Tim Horton’s work together as members of Ensemble 360. Whilst they had already explored works for the mellow combination of clarinet, viola and piano as part of Ensemble 360’s residency in Sheffield, becoming an autonomous ensemble has allowed the trio’s members to delve deeper into a rewarding selection of acknowledged masterpieces and fascinating curiosities. Much of the ensemble’s repertoire, from Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen, to Jorg Widmann’s 2015 tour de force ‘Es war einmal…’ (Once upon a time…) focuses on storytelling and fantasy and this narrative element is reflected in many of Trio Meister Raro’s programme offerings. The Trio draws its fascinating name from one of the 23-year-old Schumann's colourful pen names: "Meister Raro". These names reveal something of the diverse and imaginative elements of his musicianship and creative personality.
Robert Plane’s career as a solo and chamber clarinettist is rich and varied. Concerto appearances in Europe, Asia and North America have included performances of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in Madrid with the City of London Sinfonia, Beijing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and in the USA with the Virginia Symphony. A champion of new music as well as the classics, Rob is equally at home performing Christian Jost’s concerto ‘Heart of Darkness’ with the Dortmunder Philharmoniker and Simon Holt’s ‘Centauromachy’ at the 2011 BBC Proms as playing Finzi with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Stanford with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Copland with the London Mozart Players.
Rachel Roberts is one of Europe’s leading violists and performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. As a soloist she has collaborated with conductors Christoph von Dohnanyi, Andras Schiff and Richard Hickox, performing concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Koln Kammerorchester, Kammerphilharmonie Graubunden in Switzerland and the Manchester Camerata Chamber Orchestra amongst others. She was the featured viola soloist in the BBC TV documentary ‘The Passions of Vaughan Williams’ with Richard Hickox and the Philharmonia Orchestra, and has performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante alongside violinists Christian Tetzlaff, Antje Weithaas and Benjamin Schmid in Germany, Switzerland and London.
Tim Horton is one of the UK’s leading pianists, equally at home in solo and chamber repertoire. He is a founder member of both the Leonore Piano Trio and Ensemble 360 and has been a regular guest pianist with the Nash Ensemble. He was invited to make his solo debut at Wigmore Hall in 2016. Tim returned to Wigmore Hall in early 2021 to perform a programme of Mozart, Chopin and Szymanowski, and will be giving further solo recitals in the coming seasons. Between 2011 and 2015 Tim presented a complete Beethoven Sonata cycle at Sheffield’s Crucible Studio for Music in the Round, who invited him to return for a cycle of Schubert Sonatas 2017-2019, and a Chopin cycle which is currently underway.
Robert Plane’s career as a solo and chamber clarinettist is rich and varied. Concerto appearances in Europe, Asia and North America have included performances of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in Madrid with the City of London Sinfonia, Beijing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and in the USA with the Virginia Symphony. A champion of new music as well as the classics, Rob is equally at home performing Christian Jost’s concerto ‘Heart of Darkness’ with the Dortmunder Philharmoniker and Simon Holt’s ‘Centauromachy’ at the 2011 BBC Proms as playing Finzi with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Stanford with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Copland with the London Mozart Players.
Rachel Roberts is one of Europe’s leading violists and performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. As a soloist she has collaborated with conductors Christoph von Dohnanyi, Andras Schiff and Richard Hickox, performing concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Koln Kammerorchester, Kammerphilharmonie Graubunden in Switzerland and the Manchester Camerata Chamber Orchestra amongst others. She was the featured viola soloist in the BBC TV documentary ‘The Passions of Vaughan Williams’ with Richard Hickox and the Philharmonia Orchestra, and has performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante alongside violinists Christian Tetzlaff, Antje Weithaas and Benjamin Schmid in Germany, Switzerland and London.
Tim Horton is one of the UK’s leading pianists, equally at home in solo and chamber repertoire. He is a founder member of both the Leonore Piano Trio and Ensemble 360 and has been a regular guest pianist with the Nash Ensemble. He was invited to make his solo debut at Wigmore Hall in 2016. Tim returned to Wigmore Hall in early 2021 to perform a programme of Mozart, Chopin and Szymanowski, and will be giving further solo recitals in the coming seasons. Between 2011 and 2015 Tim presented a complete Beethoven Sonata cycle at Sheffield’s Crucible Studio for Music in the Round, who invited him to return for a cycle of Schubert Sonatas 2017-2019, and a Chopin cycle which is currently underway.
Programme:
Max Bruch (1838-1920) - Selection from 8 Pieces for clarinet, viola and piano, Op 83
György Kurtág (b.1926) - Homage à Robert Schumann, Op 15d
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) - Märchenbilder, Op 113
Interval
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) - Prelude, Allegro and Pastorale
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Trio for clarinet, viola and piano K. 498, "Kegelstatt"
Max Bruch (1838-1920) - Selection from 8 Pieces for clarinet, viola and piano, Op 83
György Kurtág (b.1926) - Homage à Robert Schumann, Op 15d
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) - Märchenbilder, Op 113
Interval
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) - Prelude, Allegro and Pastorale
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Trio for clarinet, viola and piano K. 498, "Kegelstatt"
18th January 2024 ~ ADLibitum
(Andrea Gajic, violin and Djordje Gajic, classical accordion)
(Andrea Gajic, violin and Djordje Gajic, classical accordion)
https://www.classicalmusiciansscotland.com/artists/adlibitum/
Andrea and Djordje Gajic make up the exciting violin/accordion duo, ADLibitum. Both extremely proficient artists in their own solo careers, as husband and wife team they offer a fabulously eclectic repertoire. They have given concerts in Scotland, England, Serbia, and at the Victoria International Arts Festival in Gozo, Malta. In March 2018 ADLibitum performed with double bassist Nikita Naumov in Rostov, and they are regular performers at the Victoria International Arts Festival in Gozo.
Violinist Andrea Gajic received her early musical training at St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh. When she was twelve, she performed the Bruch Scottish Fantasy at St James’ Palace, London for Yehudi Menuhin’s 70th Birthday celebration. Two years later, she was invited by Sylvia Rosenberg to study at the Peabody Institute, Baltimore USA, where she won first prize at the American String Teachers’ Association Violin Competition. From 1990, Andrea studied for five years at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music in Moscow with Khalida Akhtiamova where she gained her Masters Degree and Diploma in Solo Performance, before continuing her post-graduate studies with Felix Andrievsky at The Royal College of Music in London. Andrea has performed as a soloist and chamber ensemble player in Britain, United States, Russia, Lithuania, Finland, Germany, Australia, Yugoslavia and France, and she has been invited to give recitals and Masterclasses in Serbia, at the Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo, at Dartington International Music Festival, and at the Menstrelle International Chamber Music Academy, St Petersburg.
Djordje Gajic began his musical studies in Serbia at the age of six, graduating from the Russian Academy of Music in 1993 with a Master of Music degree and the Honorary Title of Solo Performer. He continued his post-graduate studies at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music and was appointed Assistant to Professor Yuri Dranga.
Djordje has won first prize in International Accordion Competitions in Pescara, Stresa, Camalo (Italy), Soko Bana (Serbia), St Étienne (France) and at the CMA World Championship in Fontainebleu (France). He has also received many awards of outstanding merit leading to television and radio broadcasts for the BBC, RTS Serbia, RTR Russia and RAI Italy. He has performed with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra (BBC Proms, London), the Fibonacci Sequence Ensemble, Locrian Ensemble, Research Ensemble, Hebrides Ensemble, et al. He is a prolific recitalist throughout Europe, USA, Australia, China, Russia, Bahrain and Tunisia.
Violinist Andrea Gajic received her early musical training at St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh. When she was twelve, she performed the Bruch Scottish Fantasy at St James’ Palace, London for Yehudi Menuhin’s 70th Birthday celebration. Two years later, she was invited by Sylvia Rosenberg to study at the Peabody Institute, Baltimore USA, where she won first prize at the American String Teachers’ Association Violin Competition. From 1990, Andrea studied for five years at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music in Moscow with Khalida Akhtiamova where she gained her Masters Degree and Diploma in Solo Performance, before continuing her post-graduate studies with Felix Andrievsky at The Royal College of Music in London. Andrea has performed as a soloist and chamber ensemble player in Britain, United States, Russia, Lithuania, Finland, Germany, Australia, Yugoslavia and France, and she has been invited to give recitals and Masterclasses in Serbia, at the Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo, at Dartington International Music Festival, and at the Menstrelle International Chamber Music Academy, St Petersburg.
Djordje Gajic began his musical studies in Serbia at the age of six, graduating from the Russian Academy of Music in 1993 with a Master of Music degree and the Honorary Title of Solo Performer. He continued his post-graduate studies at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music and was appointed Assistant to Professor Yuri Dranga.
Djordje has won first prize in International Accordion Competitions in Pescara, Stresa, Camalo (Italy), Soko Bana (Serbia), St Étienne (France) and at the CMA World Championship in Fontainebleu (France). He has also received many awards of outstanding merit leading to television and radio broadcasts for the BBC, RTS Serbia, RTR Russia and RAI Italy. He has performed with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra (BBC Proms, London), the Fibonacci Sequence Ensemble, Locrian Ensemble, Research Ensemble, Hebrides Ensemble, et al. He is a prolific recitalist throughout Europe, USA, Australia, China, Russia, Bahrain and Tunisia.
Programme:
Alfred Schnitke (1934-1998) - Suite in the Old Style
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) - Four Seasons, Spring and Winter
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) - Fratres
Interval
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) - Carmen Fantasy
Alexei Arkhipovsky (b. 1967) - Cinderella
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) - Zigeunerweisen
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) - Le grand Tango
Alfred Schnitke (1934-1998) - Suite in the Old Style
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) - Four Seasons, Spring and Winter
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) - Fratres
Interval
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) - Carmen Fantasy
Alexei Arkhipovsky (b. 1967) - Cinderella
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) - Zigeunerweisen
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) - Le grand Tango
8th February 2024 ~ Maxim Calver, cello and Kumi Matsuo, piano

https://www.maximcalvercello.co.uk/
Praised for the “elegance of his technique, overall sound and natural poeticism” (Strad Magazine), British Cellist Maxim Calver first gained public recognition as a BBC Young Musician 2018 Grand Finalist and Strings Category winner where he made his concerto debut with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Symphony Hall, Birmingham. This success has led him to be in high demand as a soloist across the UK and Europe and in October 2021 Maxim made his European Concerto Debut in the Grosse Saal of the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, where he performed Schumann’s Cello Concerto. In recent seasons, Maxim has appeared as a soloist in many of Europe’s leading venues including Wigmore Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, Cadogan Hall, St. Johns Smith Square and Kulturcasino Bern amongst others. He has also appeared as concerto soloist with the Bath, Stockport, Ipswich, Maidstone and Young Musician Symphony Orchestras, the Orpheus Sinfonia and Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra as well as recital appearances at the Kings Lynn Festival, Menuhin Hall, Norwich Chapel Concert Series, 1901 Arts Club and St. James’ Guernsey.
Kumi Matsuo was born in Tokyo, Japan. Winner of the 5th Louisiana International Piano Competition in 2013, she has also won Second Prize at the 75th Music Competition of Japan in 2006, Third Prize at the 22nd Ferrol International Piano Competition in 2008 and First Prize at the 6th Isidor Bajic International Piano Competition in 2012. Kumi graduated from the Toho Gakuen High School of Music and the Toho Gakuen University of Music in Tokyo. In 2007 she moved to London for her further study at the Royal College of Music where she gained an Artist Diploma and a Master of Music in Performance. Kumi studied piano with Jyoko Gondo, Mikhail Voskresensky, John Blakely and Ashley Wass and chamber music with Jan Repko. In 2008 Kumi won RCM concerto competition and gave her London debut playing Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand in Cadogan Hall with RCM Sinfonietta conducted by Peter Stark. In 2009 she played Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No.1 with RCM Chamber Orchestra under Vladimir Jurowski the Queen Elisabeth Hall and in 2012 she also performed Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto with RCM Symphony Orchestra under Martin André at the Royal College of Music.
Kumi Matsuo was born in Tokyo, Japan. Winner of the 5th Louisiana International Piano Competition in 2013, she has also won Second Prize at the 75th Music Competition of Japan in 2006, Third Prize at the 22nd Ferrol International Piano Competition in 2008 and First Prize at the 6th Isidor Bajic International Piano Competition in 2012. Kumi graduated from the Toho Gakuen High School of Music and the Toho Gakuen University of Music in Tokyo. In 2007 she moved to London for her further study at the Royal College of Music where she gained an Artist Diploma and a Master of Music in Performance. Kumi studied piano with Jyoko Gondo, Mikhail Voskresensky, John Blakely and Ashley Wass and chamber music with Jan Repko. In 2008 Kumi won RCM concerto competition and gave her London debut playing Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand in Cadogan Hall with RCM Sinfonietta conducted by Peter Stark. In 2009 she played Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No.1 with RCM Chamber Orchestra under Vladimir Jurowski the Queen Elisabeth Hall and in 2012 she also performed Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto with RCM Symphony Orchestra under Martin André at the Royal College of Music.
Programme:
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Sonata for cello and piano
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) - Sonata for cello and piano no 1 in E minor Op 38
Interval
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) - Fantasiestücke Op 73
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) - Sonata for cello and piano no 2 in D major Op 58
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Sonata for cello and piano
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) - Sonata for cello and piano no 1 in E minor Op 38
Interval
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) - Fantasiestücke Op 73
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) - Sonata for cello and piano no 2 in D major Op 58
21st March 2024 ~ WILD MEN of the BAROQUE
(Piers Adams, recorders and David Wright, harpsichord)
Please note - this is a change from the previously advertised concert. Unfortunately the Ruth Slater Baroque Ensemble is unable to perform - but we think the new concert will be quite amazing, and we are very fortunate to have secured these incredibly talented musicians at short notice.
(Piers Adams, recorders and David Wright, harpsichord)
Please note - this is a change from the previously advertised concert. Unfortunately the Ruth Slater Baroque Ensemble is unable to perform - but we think the new concert will be quite amazing, and we are very fortunate to have secured these incredibly talented musicians at short notice.
Piers Adams has been heralded in the Washington Post as ‘the reigning recorder virtuoso in
the world today’. His concert tours have taken him to all corners of the globe, including 54
tours of the United States, performing over 1000 concerts with his iconic baroque quartet Red
Priest - as well concertos with international symphony and chamber orchestras, recitals in
many guises and numerous outings on TV, radio and disc. Born in 1963, he studied physics
at university before entering the Guildhall School of Music, rapidly branching out from there
to create his own unique voice, expanding the recorder’s repertoire to include every musical
genre from renaissance to rock. Amongst his recent ventures is his baroque
‘chillout’ album Bach Side of the Moon, which reached No. 5 in the international New Age
Music charts, and which led to the formation of Baroque Alchemy – a new boundary-crossing
duo with his keyboardist partner Lyndy Mayle, combining 18th century music with 21st
century sound technology. Alongside this he continues his regular touring with Red Priest
and David Wright, and is currently working on creating a new, advanced online teaching
programme called The Enlightened Recorder Player. Details of his activities can be found at
www.piersadams.com.
David Wright is an almost entirely self-taught musician, first coming to the harpsichord as
an unlikely refuge from his East End gangland upbringing before gaining a scholarship to the
Royal College of Music, where he won several prizes, including the International Broadwood
Competition, and from which he graduated with distinction. Since then he has performed and
recorded with some of the world’s leading musicians including Emma Kirkby, James
Bowman, Tasmin Little, Joshua Bell and Julian Lloyd Webber, and as a soloist with many
groups of international renown. He has directed numerous concerts from the harpsichord,
including the first modern performance of Arne's The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green, and has
given many solo recitals, notably of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. In 2011 David joined Red
Priest, with whom he has recorded two acclaimed CDs and toured to many parts of the world.
In addition to this he is active as one of the UK’s busiest working harpsichordists performing
with several of the country’s leading period instrument ensembles and chamber orchestras, as
well as building, tuning and restoring harpsichords and chamber organs.
the world today’. His concert tours have taken him to all corners of the globe, including 54
tours of the United States, performing over 1000 concerts with his iconic baroque quartet Red
Priest - as well concertos with international symphony and chamber orchestras, recitals in
many guises and numerous outings on TV, radio and disc. Born in 1963, he studied physics
at university before entering the Guildhall School of Music, rapidly branching out from there
to create his own unique voice, expanding the recorder’s repertoire to include every musical
genre from renaissance to rock. Amongst his recent ventures is his baroque
‘chillout’ album Bach Side of the Moon, which reached No. 5 in the international New Age
Music charts, and which led to the formation of Baroque Alchemy – a new boundary-crossing
duo with his keyboardist partner Lyndy Mayle, combining 18th century music with 21st
century sound technology. Alongside this he continues his regular touring with Red Priest
and David Wright, and is currently working on creating a new, advanced online teaching
programme called The Enlightened Recorder Player. Details of his activities can be found at
www.piersadams.com.
David Wright is an almost entirely self-taught musician, first coming to the harpsichord as
an unlikely refuge from his East End gangland upbringing before gaining a scholarship to the
Royal College of Music, where he won several prizes, including the International Broadwood
Competition, and from which he graduated with distinction. Since then he has performed and
recorded with some of the world’s leading musicians including Emma Kirkby, James
Bowman, Tasmin Little, Joshua Bell and Julian Lloyd Webber, and as a soloist with many
groups of international renown. He has directed numerous concerts from the harpsichord,
including the first modern performance of Arne's The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green, and has
given many solo recitals, notably of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. In 2011 David joined Red
Priest, with whom he has recorded two acclaimed CDs and toured to many parts of the world.
In addition to this he is active as one of the UK’s busiest working harpsichordists performing
with several of the country’s leading period instrument ensembles and chamber orchestras, as
well as building, tuning and restoring harpsichords and chamber organs.
Programme:
Andrea Falconieri (1585–1656) - Three Dances, El Melo – La Cuella – Il Spiritillo Brando
Dario Castello (c.1602-c.1631) - Sonata Seconda
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) - Sonata in F major Op. 5 No. 4, Adagio – Allegro – Vivace - Adagio – Allegro
John Bull (1563-1628) - The King’s Hunt
Anon (c.1625) - The Woodcock
Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657) - The Nightingale
Louis Couperin (1626-1661) - Chaconne in C major
Giovanni Pandolfi Mealli (c.1624–c.1687) - Sonata ‘La Cesta’
Interval
Georg Frideric Handel (1685-1759) - Sonata in B minor Largo – Vivace – Furioso – Adagio - Alla breve
Pancrace Royer (1705–1755) - Vertigo
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Syrinx
Hans Martin Linde (b.1930) - Music for a Bird
György Ligeti (1923–2006) - Continuum
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) - Café 1930
Heinrich Biber (1644-1704) - Sonata no. 3 in F major
Andrea Falconieri (1585–1656) - Three Dances, El Melo – La Cuella – Il Spiritillo Brando
Dario Castello (c.1602-c.1631) - Sonata Seconda
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) - Sonata in F major Op. 5 No. 4, Adagio – Allegro – Vivace - Adagio – Allegro
John Bull (1563-1628) - The King’s Hunt
Anon (c.1625) - The Woodcock
Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657) - The Nightingale
Louis Couperin (1626-1661) - Chaconne in C major
Giovanni Pandolfi Mealli (c.1624–c.1687) - Sonata ‘La Cesta’
Interval
Georg Frideric Handel (1685-1759) - Sonata in B minor Largo – Vivace – Furioso – Adagio - Alla breve
Pancrace Royer (1705–1755) - Vertigo
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Syrinx
Hans Martin Linde (b.1930) - Music for a Bird
György Ligeti (1923–2006) - Continuum
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) - Café 1930
Heinrich Biber (1644-1704) - Sonata no. 3 in F major