Special Events

• Schubertiade – an evening of music making in the spirit of 19th century coffee houses and drawing rooms. July 8th, 49 Queen’s Gate Terrace.
• Sophie Daneman and Eugene Asti in the festival’s opening concert, September 5th, Holy Trinity.
• Master Class by Ian Partridge – September 6th, Holy Trinity
• Master Class by Graham Johnson, followed by a recital –September 13th, Holy Trinity
• This year’s visiting speakers will be Dr. Paul Reid, Dr Sharon Choa, Dr Judy Blezzard and Dr Crawford Howie.
• Brahms Requiem – the sublime master piece will be performed as it was in the London Premier of 1871, 4 hand piano and chorus. September 14th, Holy Trinity.
• Winterreise with a pre concert talk, September 12th, Holy Trinity.
• Art Exhibition of paintings inspired by poetry of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Friday 5th September

19.30: Opening Concert

Soprano - Sophie Daneman: Show Biog | Hide Biog Sophie Daneman studied at the Guildhall School of Music with Johanna Peters and has established an international reputation in a wide ranging repertoire. An accomplished recitalist, Sophie Daneman has appeared at many of the world’s major recital venues, including the Wigmore Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the Musikverein, Vienna, and Carnegie Hall, and major Festivals with Julius Drake, Roger Vignoles, Graham Johnson, Eugene Asti, Imogen Cooper and Malcolm Martineau. Her opera engagements have included the title role in Handel’s ‘Rodelinda’ in the Netherlands, both ‘Arianna’ and Cleopatra (‘Giulio Cesare’) with Nicholas McGegan, for the Göttingen Handel Festival, and an acclaimed Mélisande for the Opéra Comique with Georges Prêtre. She has sung Servilia (‘La Clemenza di Tito’) with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Hogwood, Euridice (Haydn’s ‘L’Anima del Filosofo’) for the Opéra de Lausanne, Euridice (Monteverdi’s ‘L’Orfeo’) and ‘Dido and Aeneas’ at the Bavarian State Opera, the title role in Handel’s ‘Theodora’ with William Christie in New York, Paris and Salzburg and Bernstein’s ‘Wonderful Town’ and her first Susanna (‘Le nozze di Figaro’) for Grange Park Opera. She has toured extensively with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, as well as performing with Sir Neville Marriner, Gérard Lesne, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Marcus Creed, Phillipe Herreweghe, Paul Daniel, Richard Hickox, Ivor Bolton and Sir John Eliot Gardiner. She has sung Handel’s ‘Apollo e Dafne’ at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, ‘L’Allegro’ with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and appeared with the Halle Handel Festival, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, the Rias Kammerchor and the Beaune Festival. She has sung the Faure Requiem with the Colorado Symphony, Haydn’s ‘The Seasons’ in St. Louis and made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Sophie Daneman’s many recordings include the title roles in Handel’s ‘Rodelinda’ with Nicholas Kraemer (Virgin Classics), ‘Theodora’ and ‘Acis and Galatea’ (Gramophone award, Best Baroque Vocal recording 2000) with William Christie (Erato), Vivaldi’s ‘Ottone in Villa’ with Richard Hickox (Chandos) and three volumes of Mendelssohn Lieder with Nathan Berg and Eugene Asti (Hyperion). For EMI she has recorded a disc of Schumann lieder with Julius Drake and a disc of Noel Coward songs, alongside Ian Bostridge. She has made numerous recordings with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, including Rameau ‘Grands Motets’ (Gramophone award, Best Baroque Vocal recording 1995) and ‘Les Fêtes d’Hébé’ (Gramophone award, Early Opera 1998). Sophie’s future engagements include a return to the Göttingen Handel Festival as Dalila (‘Samson’), a Handel tour with Les Arts Florissants and Phaedra (Rameau’s ‘Hippolyte et Aricie’) for the Nationale Reisopera. Piano - Eugene Asti: Show Biog | Hide Biog Eugene Asti studied at the Mannes College of Music, New York with Jeannette Haien where he earned his BMus and MA. He has received numerous awards including a Fulbright Scholarship to study piano accompaniment with Graham Johnson at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Ferdinand Rauter Memorial Prize (Richard Tauber Competition) and the Megan Foster Prize (Maggie Teyte Competition). Much in demand as an accompanist, he has performed with many great artists including Dame Felicity Lott, Dame Margaret Price, Nancy Argenta and Elizabeth Connell, in places such as the Wigmore Hall, the Rome Opera House, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Aix-en-Provence Festival, Paris, Madrid, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Vancouver, and New York. He has devised recital series for St. John’s Smith Square and St. George’s Bristol to mark the Brahms and Mendelssohn anniversaries in 1997 and in 1999 planned a series for St. John’s Smith Square to mark the Poulenc/Strauss anniversaries. For the 2002/3 season he devised a recital series for St. John’s Smith Square which honoured Robert Schumann and which included recitals by many of today’s leading artists. Eugene has done much recording work for the BBC, featuring regularly on Radio 3’s “Voices” programme with Sarah Connolly, Sophie Daneman, Rebecca Evans, Susan Gritton, Jared Holt, Christine Rice, Stephan Loges, Kate Royal, and James Rutherford. In 2005, he performed a US recital tour with Dame Felicity Lott and Angelika Kirchschlager with concerts in New York, Philadelphia, Quebec and Ann Arbor; and also performed a recital with Dame Felicity Lott for the BBC Proms at the new Cadogan Hall in London that was broadcast live worldwide. Recent recitals included performances at the Barbican (St. Luke’s), Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall) in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Konserthuset in Stockholm and the Megaron in Athens with the soprano Susanna Andersson. He has also recently performed in the Cheltenham, City of London, Buxton and North Norfolk Music Festivals with Sarah Connolly, Stephan Loges and James Rutherford as well as a performance of the complete Mozart songs in Bordeaux and Nantes with Sophie Karthäuser and Stephan Loges. Future plans include recitals with Dame Felicity Lott, Sir Willard White, Susanna Andersson, Sarah Connolly, Sophie Karthäuser and Stephan Loges, in places such as the Kölner Philharmonie, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Seville, Strasbourg, St. John’s Smith Square, and at the Oxford Lieder Festival. He will also perform recitals with Alison Buchanan in the USA and in Europe. He has devised a recital series to honour the anniversary of Felix Mendelssohn in 2009 for London’s new concert venue King’s Place (which is due to open in Autumn 2008). This will include concerts with some of today’s leading recital artists. His many recordings for Hyperion include three volumes of songs and duets by Felix Mendelssohn with Sarah Connolly, Sophie Daneman, Stephan Loges, Mark Padmore and Nathan Berg; songs by Fanny Mendelssohn with Susan Gritton; and the complete songs of Clara Schumann with Susan Gritton and Stephan Loges, all receiving much critical acclaim. He has also recorded songs by Eric Coates with tenor Richard Edgar-Wilson for Marco Polo. He has recently released a live recital disc with Sarah Connolly for Signum Records that has been widely acclaimed. He recently recorded a disc of the complete Mozart songs for Cyprès with Sophie Karthäuser and Stephan Loges which will be released later this year. Future recording plans include a disc of Schumann Lieder with Sarah Connolly for Chandos. He is also currently editing an edition of the previously unknown and unpublished songs of Felix Mendelssohn for Bärenreiter which is due for publication in 2008. Eugene teaches at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is Vocal Accompaniment Coordinator at Trinity College of Music. He regularly gives masterclasses both in the UK and abroad. Songs by Schubert, Haydn, Fauré, Poulenc, Coward. A stunning festival curtain raiser, featuring the internationally claimed duo Sophie Daneman and Eugene Asti who will offer a superb programme of songs from the 19th and 20th centuries. This promises to be an unmissable event.

Saturday 6th September

Education Day 1 10.45 - 13.00: Master class Ian Partridge CBE: Show Biog | Hide Biog Ian Partridge has an international reputation as a concert singer and recitalist. His tenor voice, with its most distinctive timbre, and his unfailing sensitivity to words have earned him a devoted following through his hundreds of broadcasts and recordings. His wide repertoire encompasses the music of Monteverdi, Bach and Handel, Elizabethan lute songs, German, French and English songs and first performances of new works; in recitals he is frequently accompanied by his sister, Jennifer Partridge. Ian Partridge's phenomenal list of recordings includes Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin (first choice in BBC Radio 3's Building a Library and recently re-released in the UK), Schumann's Dichterliebe and Liederkreis Opus 39, Britten's Serenade, Vaughan Williams's On Wenlock Edge, Warlock's The Curlew, three discs of English 20th century songs, Romantic Songs for voice and guitar with Jakob Lindberg, Schubert's Winterreise with Richard Burnett on a period piano, and, with The Sixteen Choir and Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Harry Christophers, the complete set of Handel's Chandos Anthems, Purcell's The Fairy Queen and the part of the Evangelist in Bach's St John Passion. Since 1979, Ian has collaborated with the actress Prunella Scales in over 350 performances of An Evening with Queen Victoria all over the world. Ian Partridge has also enjoyed taking masterclasses on Lieder, English Song and Early Music at venues as diverse as Aldeburgh, Vancouver, Trondheim, Versailles and Helsinki. He is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music, and was awarded the CBE in 1992 for services to music. Forthcoming concert highlights include: on 19th September, with Gabriel Woolf and Richard Burnett at Finchcocks, a newly devised programme featuring the music and words of Prince Albert. On 26th September, Ian and his sister Jennifer will give a recital of Schubert and English song at Westminster School; and in October, Ian will be accompanied by Sholto Kynoch in a recital at the Oxford Lieder Festival. Ian Partridge has graced the stages of the world for last 30 years, with an extensive catalogue of recordings and broadcasts; he has been a source of inspiration to performers and audiences alike. We are very pleased this year to welcome Ian to lead a morning master class featuring duos from London’s prime music colleges. This will be a rare opportunity to see a great artist at work and learn more about the singer’s and accompanist’s art.

15:30: Tea time recital Piano - Gareth Owen: Show Biog | Hide Biog Gareth studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Joan Havill, where he was awarded the Premier Prix in 2000. He has also studied at the Academie International de Musique de Maurice Ravel in France and the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. Gareth’s early performing career included recitals and concertos at the Wigmore Hall in London and major venues throughout Europe and North America. Touring with orchestras throughout Europe, Gareth received particular acclaim for his performance of Mozart’s Concerto in F K.415 with the Czech Chamber Orchestra. Recorded by Canal+Espana for national broadcast at the world-renowned Mozart Auditorium in Zaragoza, Spain, the press noted; “…Owen played the concerto with calm and phrasing of great beauty”*. Gareth was awarded the Leszek Dessent Prize for a recital of Chopin and was the sole recipient of the Grace Williams Memorial Prize in 2001. Since performing at the Sydney International Piano Competition in 2004, Gareth has continued to work extensively as a soloist and chamber musician. His programme of recitals has included venues in the Caribbean, Scandinavia, Switzerland and throughout the United Kingdom. The past three years have seen Gareth developing as a performer of Mozart and Schubert. He appeared at both the Buxted Festival and St. James’s Piccadilly in London performing Mozart’s Concerto in A K.488 and E Flat K.482. Future engagements include recitals in Greece, Ireland, France and London. Gareth divides his time between performing and teaching in and around London. Bach - Toccata in D BWV912 Schubert - Impromptus D.899 Faure Barcarolles  op.42 no.3 in G-flat and op.44 no.4 in A-flat Following a sell-out performance at last years festival, Gareth Owen returns to the festival to perform another impressive programme. Featuring music by Bach, Schubert and Faure the programme will be brought to rousing conclusion with Schumann’s deeply romantic Etudes Symphonique.

Sunday 7th September

11.00: Festival Mass 1

Schubert Mass in G with Holy Trinity Choir and Orchestra.

15.30: Tea Time Concert

Violin - Ben Wragg: Show Biog | Hide Biog Described by the legendary Ruggiero Ricci as “technically and musically out of the ordinary…one of our most talented young violinists…one to watch”, Ben Wragg has established himself as one of the UK’s most promising young violinists. Known for his exciting, expressive performance style, he plays a vast repertoire of the major classics, but is often known for wowing his audiences with his renditions – and often his own arrangements – of gypsy and film music repertoire. Trained at the Purcell School, the Royal Academy of Music, London and at The Mozarteum, Salzburg, Ben has appeared as soloist in major concert halls throughout Europe and Asia. These include televised performances in a UNICEF Gala Concert in Munich, and concert for HRH Prince Charles at St. James’s Palace as well as performance and interview on BBC Radio. He has been winner of numerous awards and scholarships, most recently the Concordia Foundation. Piano - Annie Yim: Show Biog | Hide Biog "In Chopin, Schumann, Mozart...... with a naturalness, command and artistic instinct that removes all barriers between composer and listener" (Jeremy Siepmann, Editor of Piano Magazine) Annie Yim was born in Hong Kong, where she studied with renowned Chinese pianist, Nancy Loo. Annie was admitted to the School of Music in University of British Columbia with a four-year full scholarship, studying under Robert Silverman. In 2000, Annie won the CBC Radio Debut Competition, resulting in a broadcast of her debut recital on CBC Radio 2. In the same year, she won the 57th Friends of Chamber Music Competition, and was a finalist in the Sinfonia Toronto International Concerto Competition. Annie made her concerto debut in Vancouver playing Beethoven Concerto in G major. In 2002, she received her Bachelor of Music degree with 1st Class Honours. With scholarships from British Columbia Arts Council and Vancouver Foundation, Annie moved to London, UK to join the piano class of Joan Havill at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she received her Masters of Music degree. She has participated in masterclasses of such eminent musicians as Leon Fleisher, Dominique Merlet, Jean-Francois Heisser, and Kum-Sing Lee. As solo recitalist, Annie has performed in major venues such as the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (Vancouver), the Royal Opera House, and St. James’s Piccadilly. In January 2008, Annie recorded for Portuguese Radio Antena 2 with violinist Emanuel Salvador, while giving a concert tour in Portugal. She was also selected as a 2008 Concordia Artist by the Concordia Foundation, leading to concert engagements in London venues. Her recent festival appearances include Internationale Académie de Maurice Ravel (2005, France), Guildhall Ensemble Festival (2006, London), and Geneva Music Festival (2006, Switzerland). Future engagements include Gaia International Music Festival (2008, Portugal) and Chelsea Schubert Festival (2008, London). Annie is grateful for the support from Concordia Foundation and is proud to be a member of the Concordia Foundation International Ensemble 2008. Brahms – Scherzo (from FAE sonata) Schubert - Sonatina No. 2 A minor D. 385 Franck – Sonata in A major Supported by the Concordia Foundation Described by the legendary Ruggiero Ricci as “technically and musically out of the ordinary…one of our most talented young violinists…one to watch”, Ben Wragg has established himself as one of the UK’s most promising young violinists. In 2000, Annie Yim won the CBC Radio Debut Competition, resulting in a broadcast of her debut recital on CBC Radio 2. In the same year she was a finalist in the Sinfonia Toronto International Concerto Competition. As solo recitalist, Annie has performed in major venues such as the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (Vancouver), the Royal Opera House, and St. James’s Piccadilly.

19:00: Evening Concert Piano - Rt.Rev Michael Marshall: Show Biog | Hide Biog Piano - Alistair Watson: Show Biog | Hide Biog New Zealand born, Alistair Watson has performed concertos with the Dunedin Sinfonia and the Christchurch Symphony, with whom he won the National Piano Concerto Competition in 2000. Since arriving in the UK he spent two years studying piano and singing at the Royal College of Music, under the tutelage of Nigel Clayton and Roderick Earle. He then completed a course in Repetiteur Training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, on a full scholarship. Alistair is now a freelance musician in London, in much demand as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist and coach. Recent highlights include performing Mozart’s Double Piano Concerto in Cadogan Hall. Alistair has recently recorded a CD for an independent label, playing with an ensemble from the RCM. He is also an employee of Trinity Guildhall, and has been involved as a piano specialist on courses in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok. Alistair is also a professional choral singer, and sang in the choir here at Holy Trinity for several years, before becoming a Lay Clerk at Guildford Cathedral. Violin - Ben Wragg Schubert – Fantasy in F minor for 4 hands Beethoven - Violin Sonata Op 24 “Spring Sonata” One Schubert’s greatest pieces, the F-minor Fantasy still remains virtually unknown even among Schubert-lovers. But in its quiet way, it has become a part of posterity and is one of the major achievements of his final year. With all its mystery and the great beauty of its ideas, it is the work that any serious Schubertian longs to hear in the sublime surroundings of Holy Trinity. Coupled with Beethoven’s ‘Spring Sonata’ and performed by three accomplished performers, this will be a concert not to be missed.

Tuesday 9th September

19.30: Evening Concert Prometheus Trio: Violin: Benjamin Hughes: Show Biog | Hide Biog Benjamin Hughes studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Hochschule für Künste in Bremen, Germany with Alexander Baillie. Following this, he graduated with a Master’s degree from Eastman School of Music, New York studying with Steven Doane. Benjamin has appeared as guest Principal cello with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Scottish Opera, the Orchestra of Opera North and the Philharmonia. He is in demand as a chamber musician, working frequently with the Fibonacci Sequence and the Prometheus Piano Trio, appearing at prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall and the Martinů Hall in Prague. He has broadcast frequently on BBC Radio and Television and holds the position of Principal cello with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Cello: Rosalind Action Piano - Sholto Kynoch: Show Biog | Hide Biog Sholto Kynoch is a song accompanist and chamber musician and has performed in both capacities around the UK and abroad, regularly partnering many outstanding singers and instrumentalists. Sholto read Music at Worcester College, Oxford, and studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His teachers have included Michael Dussek, Graham Johnson, Malcolm Martineau, Ronan O’Hora and Vanessa Latarche. He has also received coaching from, amongst others, Dame Felicity Lott (at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival), Ferenc Rados (at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove), and Anne Sofie von Otter & Bengt Forsberg (at the Danish Lied Society course). He is the founder and director of the Oxford Lieder Festival, where he has accompanied nearly forty song recitals over the past six years, working with singers including Kate Royal, Mark Stone, Jonathan Lemalu and Henry Herford. With tenor Ian Partridge, he has performed Schubert’s Winterreise at the Chelsea Schubert Festival, and he recently gave a concert with Joan Rodgers at Richard Stokes’ Westminster song series. Also an accomplished chamber musician, Sholto is the pianist of the Prometheus Piano Trio with whom he has performed extensively, including at the Martinu Hall in Prague as winners of the Anglo-Czechoslovak Award. In April 2006, with violinist Kaoru Yamada (supported by the Kirckman Society) he made his debut at Wigmore Hall, where he also appeared as part of the “Guildhall Gold” showcase concert. In the 2005 BBC Proms he performed two major chamber works by Marc-André Dalbavie in the Royal Albert Hall at a Composer Portrait Prom, broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Forthcoming highlights include concerts at the St Endellion, Chichester, Cambridge Summer Music and Perth Festivals, a recital in the Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie in Berlin with soprano Olja Dakic, and return concerts at the Westminster song series (with Sophie Daneman), the Chelsea Schubert Festival and Wigmore Hall. Schubert Trio in B flat major After last year’s great success, the three players return to the festival with a programme which includes the great trio in B flat major by Schubert coupled with a more unfamiliar trio in E minor by Saints-Saens. Principly known for his opera Samson et Dalila and the Organ Symphony, this trio combines elegance of form and line with graceful melodic invention bringing a refreshing addition to this years festival.

Wednesday 10th September

13.10: Lunchtime Concert Piano - Deltcho Deltchev: Show Biog | Hide Biog Bulgarian born pianist Deltcho Deltchev began piano studies at the age of five, entering the Special School for Gifted Children in Haskovo as one of their youngest students. A year later he presented his first solo recital, and shortly afterward, won first prize in both the Haskovo State Music Competition (1984) and the Nedialka Simeonova Piano Competition (1985). After entering the Plovdiv School of Music in1986, Deltchev toured Bulgaria, and made his orchestral debut with the Haskovo Symphony Orchestra which was broadcast on BNR. The following year Deltchev received a full merit scholarship from Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, where he earned a Performance Diploma. He continued his studies with full merit scholarships from San Francisco Conservatory and again at Indiana University at Bloomington, where he completed a graduate Performance Diploma with Evelyine Brancart. Deltcho Deltchev has performed extensively throughout the United State and Europe. Notable venues include: Warner Recital Hall in Cleveland (USA), the Museum of Fine Arts in Montgomery, Lorraine Hansberry Theater in San Francisco, Geothe Institute and the Chilton Club in Boston, New Mexico Recital Hall Center (USA), Casa Verdi in Milan (Italy), Castel Franco Palace in Venice, Chapell Royal and St.Paul Cathedral in Brighton (UK). Deltchev has received superlative reviews. The Montgomery Advisor wrote of Deltchev: "This concert was a taste of heaven." Just recently, the Los Alamos Monitor declared: "Deltchev has the gift, but moreover, he has the presence a performer needs to hypnotize his audience." Deltcho Deltchev appears courtesy of BMR Artists, Inc. And he records exclusively for Bravante Records, Inc. J.S.Bach -Chromatic Fantasy in D minor BWV90 Haydn - Sonata in C Major, Hob 50 Schubert - Sonata in A Major D959 Bulgarian born pianist Deltcho Deltchev began piano studies at the age of five. Deltchev received a full merit scholarship from Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, where he earned a Performance Diploma. He has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe. The programme opens with the extraordinary Chromatic Fantasy by Bach and rounded of by one of Schubert’s great achievements – the A major piano sonata, D 959.

* Pre-concert talk, 18:45 – Crawford Howie: Show Biog | Hide Biog Crawford Howie has recently retired from a lecturing position at the University of Manchester, but is still active as a musicologist, lecturer, and occasional performer. His main interests lie in nineteenth-century Austrian music, the music of Schubert and Bruckner in particular, and he has written Anton Bruckner: A Documentary Biography (2 vols, 2002), co-edited Perspectives on Anton Bruckner (2001), and contributed two chapters to The Cambridge Companion to Bruckner (2004) and a chapter on Schubert’s smaller sacred music to The Unknown Schubert (forthcoming), as well as writing book reviews for Music and Letters. He is currently vice-chairman of the Schubert Institute (UK), editor of The Schubertian, and associate editor of The Bruckner Journal. 19.30: Evening Concert

Mezzo Soprano - Anna Stéphany: Show Biog | Hide Biog Anna Stéphany is a graduate of King’s College London, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the National Opera Studio. Among her many awards are the Kathleen Ferrier Award 2005 and the GSMD Gold Medal. Her operatic roles include Proserpina/Orfeo for the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Euridice and Speranza (both Orfeo) for Opera North, Dorabella/Cosi fan tutte and Juno/Semele for British Youth Opera and Concepción/L’heure espagnole and the title role in Ambroise Thomas’s Mignon at the Guildhall. She sang with Glyndebourne Festival Chorus in 2002 and 2003. In 2007 she made her BBC Proms debut, singing Wellgunde in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. She sang in Mozart’s Requiem with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis as part of his 80th birthday celebrations in London and New York. Other recent engagements have included concerts with the English Chamber Orchestra under Raymond Leppard, Mozart’s Requiem with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bruckner with Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, a concert with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a recital in Oxford with Roger Vignoles. Future engagements include concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and a recital with Iain Burnside at Chatsworth. Later this year she will sing Dorabella for Garsington Opera. Baritone - Benedict Nelson: Show Biog | Hide Biog Benedict was born in London and began his studies at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama as an undergraduate in 2002. He is currently enjoying his second year on the Opera Course, remaining under the tutelage of Robert Dean. He has been generously supported in his studies by The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers, as well as receiving a Sybill Tutton award and a Countess of Munster Musical Trust Scholarship. He is also a scholar of the distinguished Samling Foundation. In 2007 Benedict won second prize in both the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier awards and the distinguished Guildhall Gold Medal. Following this he performed Brahms Requiem at the RAH, played Masetto in Sir Thomas Allen’s production of Don Giovanni at the Sage in Gateshead alongside Christopher Maltman and Lisa Milne, before taking the part of Sid in BYO’s Albert Herring. At 24, Benedict has amassed a considerable number of operatic roles, including; Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas), Count Almaviva, Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Masetto, Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Sprecher (Die Zauberflote), Marcello (La Boheme), Demetrius (A Midsummer Nights Dream), Mr Gedge, Sid (Albert Herring), Baron Gondremarck (La Vie Parisienne). He has also performed in a variety of prestigious venues including the Wigmore, Barbican, Cadogan, and Royal Albert Halls, the Grossfestspielhaus in Salzburg and the Philarmonie in Berlin under the batons of conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir David Wilcocks and Thomas Zehetmair. Benedict has worked in Masterclasses with Sir Thomas Allen, Sir John Tomlinson, Philip Langridge, José Cura and Isobel Buchanan. Future plans include Don Parmenione L’occasione fa il Ladro, for the Guildhall in June 2008, Tarquinius for Britten-Pears Young Artists in Aldburgh and Morales Carmen at the RAH in 2009. Benedict will take a place at the National Opera Studio later this year. Piano - Marc Verter: Show Biog | Hide Biog Marc was born in Tel Aviv. He holds an M.Mus degree in piano from Indiana University School of Music where he studied with the late Leonard Hokanson. He obtained an M.Mus Degree in accompaniment from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he studied with Graham Johnson and Ronan O'Hora. He is currently studying towards his doctorate and working as a coach at the Guildhall School. He received scholarships from The Geoffrey Parsons Memorial Trust Award for 2004 and the Accompanist prize at the 2004 Patricia Routledge English Song Competition. In May 2006 he won the Titanic award for accompanists at the English Song Competition at the Guildhall School. Recently he won the accompanist’s prize from the Kathleen Ferrier society (2007 singer’s bursaries). Marc has participated in festivals in Israel, Belgium, Spain, Holland, France, USA, Canada and the UK including the Britten-Pears School, Ravinia Festival in Chicago (Steans Institute); he was an official accompanist at the Queen Elisabeth competition for singers in Brussels 2004 and was a repetiteur at the Aix en Provence Festival 2007. He performs regularly in the UK and abroad; previous concerts have included the Wigmore Hall, Barbican Centre, St. John's Smith Square, Sheffield University, Canterbury Festival, Aldeburgh, Birmingham University, the Oxford Lieder Festival, the Chelsea Schubert festival and St Martin in the Fields. He has performed song recitals which were broadcast live on the radio in Jerusalem, Brussels and in Amsterdam. Marc has worked with up and coming young singers such as Kate Royal, Claire Booth, Benedict Nelson, Katherine Broderick and Elena Xanthoudakis and with internationally renowned soprano Nelly Miricioiu. Since 2007, Marc is the co-artistic director of the Chelsea Schubert Festival. Mahler – “Des Knaben Wunderhorn” R.Strauss - song selection Mezzo-Soprano Anna Stéphany and Baritone Benedict Nelson are regarded as some of the country’s leading young artists. Both have performed in the Uk and abroad with international conductors and winners of a large corpus of competitions. The German folk ballades and legends have been a source of inspiration to musicians over the centuries; these songs remain an important contribution to the song genre as well as being central to Mahler’s legacy. Tonight they will be accompanied by acclaimed pianist Marc Verter.

Thursday 11th September

19.30: Evening Concert longfordbrown piano duo James Longford & Lindy Tennent-Brown, piano: Show Biog | Hide Biog The longfordbrown piano duo was formed in 2002 when James Longford and Lindy Tennent- Brown met as Legal & General Junior Fellows at the Royal College of Music in London.They are laureates of several major international competitions – Second Prize and the Rachmaninov Prize in the 2007 IBLA Grand Prize in Sicily, Third Prize in the 14th International Schubert Competition in the Czech Republic – and have been shortlisted as semi-finalists in the prestigious Dranoff International Two-Piano Competition to be held in Miami, Florida, in March 2008. The duo has recently returned from a scholarship-supported Creative Development Residency at The Banff Centre in Canada, where they gave several acclaimed concerts and studied with Jerome Lowenthal (Head of Piano, Julliard School) and Lambert Orkis (longterm duo partner of Anne-Sophie Mutter and the late Mstislav Rostropovich). Closer to home the duo works with pianists Martin Roscoe, Margaret Fingerhut and John Blakely, and with conductor Gerry Cornelius. The longfordbrown piano duo has performed throughout the UK, Italy, Germany and Denmark, most recently giving critically-acclaimed performances of Poulenc’s Concerto for 2 pianos with the Hertford Symphony Orchestra and Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals with EMFEB Chamber Orchestra in London. The duo enjoys its collaborations with other musicians – they have performed Ein Deutsches Requiem in Brahms’ own version for piano duet, soloists and choir, and the cantata Saint Nicolas by Britten with East London Chorus, among others. The longfordbrown piano duo has quickly established a reputation for its innovative programming and thrilling performances. James and Lindy are equally comfortable in piano- duet or two-piano repertory and take delight in compiling programmes which draw upon a wide variety of source material, from the great classical works through to music of the present day. Future plans include performances of the 2-piano concertos by Mozart, Bruch and Martinu in the UK, USA and New Zealand and recitals throughout the UK. Schubert - 'Grand Duo' Sonata in C major, D812 Charles Griffin "From the Faraway Nearby: Homage to Georgia O'Keeffe" (London premiere) Schmitt - from Feuillets de Voyage, op 26. One of the numerous talents processed was a the piano duo genre to which Schubert contributed extensively to the genre of piano duo and left behind legacy of well loved pieces. The longfordbrown piano duo are the laureates of several international competitions, and are rapidly forging a career as one of the the UK’s foremost piano duos. “A stunning performance, so seamless was the playing of the two pianists, that the music of the two pianos blended as one. Unity was the wonder of the performance…utterly absorbing” Hertford Mercury (on the duo’s Poulenc Concerto)

Friday 12th September

13.10: Lunchtime Concert Piano - Sasha Grynyuk: Show Biog | Hide Biog An artist whose qualities were described by Charles Rosen as “remarkable unfailing musicality giving most natural, electrifying and satisfying interpretations” - was born in Kyiv and received his early musical training in the National Music Academy of Ukraine. Following his concerto debut at the age of eleven he performed in many countries and was a prizewinner in many competitions including the Horowitz and Gilels International Piano Competitions and received “The Future of Ukraine” Presidential Award as Musician of the Year. In 2002 he was awarded a full scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he studies with Ronan O’Hora. In 2002 he was awarded a full scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he studies with Ronan O’Hora. He made his London recital debut at the Purcell Room as a result of winning the Jaques Samuel Piano Competition, and has subsequently played recitals, concertos and chamber music throughout Europe, Japan and the USA, including recent appearances in the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Barbican, Bridgewater Hall, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, and the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, New York. Sasha will be holding a fellowship position at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he is supported by scholarships from the Hattori Foundation, John Hosier Trust and Philharmonia/Martin Musical Fund. Most recently becoming a winner of the Haverhil Sinfonia Soloist Competition, Silver Medal of Worshipful Company of Musicians, Yamaha Foundation of Europe and Guildhall School’s most prestigious award - the Gold. Schubert - Sonata in A minor Debussy - Pour le Piano Chopin - Scherzo no.4 in E major Born in Kiev, pianist Sasha Grynyuk received his early music training in the national music academy of the Ukraine; following his concerto debut at the age of 11, he has performed in many European countries, and has been a prize winner in numerous international piano competitions, most recently, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama most prestigious prize for outstanding performance – the Gold Medal.

* Pre-concert talk, 18:45 – Paul Reid: Show Biog | Hide Biog Paul Reid is a Germanist by training and after a career in teaching is now enjoying writing about German song, aiming to make it accessible to an English-speaking audience. He is the former Chairman of the Schubert Institute (UK) and has spoken widely about Schubert’s songs, including talks to the London Lieder Group, pre-concert talks at Wigmore Hall and a recent illustrated talk to the Friends of Leeds Lieder Plus. His newly published Beethoven Song Companion (Manchester University Press) is the first complete survey of all Beethoven’s songs, with parallel German and English texts and critical notes, and has been very well received. He is currently working on a book of Schubert essays. 19.30: Evening Concert

Baritone - Jonathan Sells: Show Biog | Hide Biog Jonathan Sells studied Music and Musicology at Cambridge University and is currently on the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After being spotted by William Christie for Le Jardin des Voix world tour in 2007, he has worked as a soloist with Les Arts Florissants at the Palais Garnier (Opéra de Paris), Teatro Real (Madrid), Chapelle Royale (Versailles) and Carnegie Hall (New York). He was selected by the Académie Européene de la Musique 2008 to perform Purcell’s The Fairy Queen in Aix-en-Provence, also with William Christie, and appeared with I Fagiolini in this year’s BBC Chamber Music Proms. Operatic experience includes Giorgio (I Puritani), Maximillian (Candide), Blow’s Venus and Adonis, Collatinus, Noye, bass (L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, Opéra de Paris), Dulcamara, Don Alfonso, Count Almaviva, 2nd Armed Man, Leporello, Sarastro, Jupiter (Orpheus in the Underworld), Paisiello’s The Barber of Seville (Buxton Festival), Huascar (Les Indes Galantes), Mustafà, Laroche (Capriccio), Trulove, Zaretsky, and Daland. Mr Sells is a Britten-Pears Young Artist, and was invited in 2007 to Wigmore Hall to take part in the International Song Competition. He is a regular recitalist, studying with Graham Johnson, and gave a recital with Julius Drake earlier this year. Piano - Lara Dodds-Eden: Show Biog | Hide Biog Lara Dodds-Eden is currently a Fellow in Piano Accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Caroline Palmer. The 2007 winner of the Cunard-Carpathia Memorial Accompaniment Prize, over the course of her London studies Lara has appeared in recital at the Guildhall, the Barbican, LSO St Lukes, and in the Barbican Mostly Mozart Festival and the City of London Festival. She appeared in Graham Johnson's Young Songmakers Almanac recital at St John's Smith Square and has participated in chamber music masterclasses with Gordon Back, Bernard Greenhouse and the Kungsbacka Trio. She was pianist with the winning ensemble in the 2007 Ivan Sutton Memorial Award for Chamber Music, and was a 2008 Tunnell Trust Young Musician. Born in Australia and having completed undergraduate studies there, Lara was the ANU University Medallist in Music in 2005 and a Keyboard Finalist in the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year Awards in 2006. In September 2007 Lara returned to Australia to perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No.2 with the Sydney Sinfonia and Richard Gill in their Discovery series, with concerts in Blacktown and Angel Place City Recital Hall. In October Lara will perform at the Wigmore Hall in the Maisie Lewis Young Artists’ Series with cellist John Mayerscough. Schubert - Winterreise In scale, dramatic coherence and power, musical and literary unity and interpretive demands on the performer, Schubert’s Winterreise stands in a league of its own within the song cycle genre. Jonathan Sells has worked with several conductors and ensembles in the UK and abroad such as William Christie, Académie Européene de la Musique and the BBC Chamber Music Proms; The 2007 winner of the Cunard-Carpathia Memorial Accompaniment Prize, over the course of her London studies Lara has appeared in recital at the Guildhall, the Barbican, LSO St Lukes, and in the Barbican Mostly Mozart Festival and the City of London Festival.

Saturday 13th September

Education Day 2 : Graham Johnson 10.45 - 13:00: Master Class for voice and piano duos. Graham Johnson is recognised as one of the world’s leading vocal accompanists. In 1972 he was the official accompanist of Peter Pears’ first accompanist at the Maltings Snape, which brought him into contact with Benjamin Britten – a link which strengthened his determination to accompany. Graham Johnson has accompanied such distinguished singers as Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Felicity Lott, Victoria de los Angeles, Elly Ameling, Bridget Fassbaender, Mathias Goerne, Thomas Hampson and many more. Regarded as authority in the song genre, this will be a great opportunity to hear this international figure at work.

15.30: Tea Time Recital

Soprano - Hannah Morrison: Show Biog | Hide Biog At an early age, the British soprano Hannah Morrison, born 1979 into a musical family with scottish and icelandic background, got acquainted with several art disciplines, these being classical and jazz dance, singing and playing the recorder, oboe and piano. This continued until she reached the age of 16, when she decided to give full attention to the piano and singing. In 1998 she started her piano studies at the Conservatorium in Maastricht, NL and one year later singing followed as well. She enjoyed lessons with Tonie Ehlen, Jeroen Riemsdijk and Prof. Barbara Schlick. After having completed her "Bachelors" in 2003 for both studies she continued her singing studies with Prof. Barbara Schlick at the "Hochschule für Musik Köln", where she finished her Master Studies. In March 2004 Hannah Morrison joined the Renaissance ensemble "Pantagruel", which frequently gives concerts in the whole of Europe. She sang the role of Carolina in "Il matrimonio segreto" by D. Cimarosa, performed at the "Stadttheater Aachen" Germany in 2005. Hannah Morrison is already in demand as a soloist in and outside of Germany, in oratoria as well as lieder programmes. She frequently works with the ensembles "Les arts florissants" under William Christie, "Collegium AD MOSAM" and the contemporary ensembles "Ensemble ´88" and "T.R.A.S.H". Further inspiration she received in Masterclasses with Semjon Skigin, Evelyn Tubb and Anthoney Rooley, Barthold Kuijken, Andrew Lawrence King, Sharon Weller and Sigrid ´T Hooft (Baroque Gestures), Sir Thomas Allen and Dame Kiri te Kanawa. Currently Hannah is studying with Prof. Rudolf Piernay at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and will be finishing her MMus Programme this year. Hannah Morrison is supported by Linklaters. Baritone - Brandon Velarde: Show Biog | Hide Biog Brandon Velarde, baritone, a native Californian, studied music at the University of California, Irvine, and subsequently continued his post-graduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Rudolf Piernay. He also works with Iris Dell’Acqua. Recent performances include Splendiano (Djamileh) for Opera South, Guglielmo (Cosi fan tutte) in a semi-staged performance directed by Graham Vick for New Chamber Opera, Oxford; Rizzardo/Felippo in Beatrice di Tenda for Opera Omnibus; Kindertotenlieder with the Fulham Symphony Orchestra. As a recitalist, he has given performances of Schubert’s Winterreise (with Graham Johnson) as far afield as Los Angeles and Cape Town. He has recorded for the Complete Schubert Edition, and recently recorded a cycle of songs by Ronald Stevenson with Graham Johnson both for Hyperion Records. Piano - Graham Johnson: Show Biog | Hide Biog Graham Johnson is recognised as one of the world’s leading vocal accompanists. Born in Rhodesia, he came to London to study in 1967. After leaving the Royal Academy of Music his teachers included Gerald Moore and Geoffrey Parsons. In 1972 he was the official pianist at Peter Pears' first masterclasses at The Maltings, Snape which brought him into contact with Benjamin Britten – a link which strengthened his determination to accompany. In 1976 he formed the Songmakers' Almanac to explore neglected areas of piano-accompanied vocal music; the founder singers were Dame Felicity Lott, Ann Murray DBE, Anthony Rolfe Johnson and Richard Jackson – artists with whom he has established long and fruitful collaborations both on the concert platform and the recording studio. Some two hundred and fifty Songmakers' programmes were presented over the years. Graham Johnson has accompanied such distinguished singers as Sir Thomas Allen, Victoria de los Angeles, Elly Ameling, Arleen Auger, Ian Bostridge, Brigitte Fassbaender, Matthias Goerne, Thomas Hampson, Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager, Philip Langridge, Serge Leiferkus, Angelika Kirchschlager, Christopher Maltman, Edith Mathis, Lucia Popp, Christoph Prégardien, Dame Margaret Price, Thomas Quastoff, Dorothea Röschmann, Kate Royal, Christine Schaefer, Peter Schreier, Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Sarah Walker. His relationship with the Wigmore Hall is a special one. He devised and accompanied concerts in the hall’s re-opening series in 1992, and in its centenary celebrations in 2001. He has been Chairman of the jury for the Wigmore Hall Song Competition since its inception. He is Senior Professor of Accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music and has led a biennial scheme for Young Songmakers since 1985. He has had a long and fruitful link with Ted Perry and Hyperion Records for whom he has devised and accompanied a set of complete Schubert Lieder on 37 discs, a milestone in the history of recording. A complete Schumann series is halfway completed, and there is an ongoing French Song series where the complete songs of such composers as Chausson, Chabrier and Fauré are either already available, or in preparation. All these discs are issued with Graham Johnson’s own programme notes which set new standards for CD annotations. He has also recorded for Sony, BMG, Harmonia Mundi, Forlane, EMI and DGG. Awards include the Gramophone solo vocal award in 1989 (with Dame Janet Baker), 1996 (Die schone Müllerin with Ian Bostridge), 1997 (for the inauguration of the Schumann series with Christine Schäfer) and 2001 (with Magdalena Kozena). He was The Royal Philharmonic Society’s Instrumentalist of the Year in 1998; in June 2000 he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He is author of The Songmakers’ Almanac; Twenty years of recitals in London, The French Song Companion for OUP (2000) and The Vocal Music of Benjamin Britten (Guildhall 2003). He was made an OBE in the 1994 Queen's Birthday Honours list and in 2002 he was created Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Government. Songs by Schubert, Delibes, Gounod, Chausson, Duparc, Offenbach, Massenet.

Sunday 14th September

11:00: Festival Mass 2 Ralph Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor, Holy Trinity Choir and orchestra.

15.30: Tea Time Concert

Tenor - Andrew Obrien: Show Biog | Hide Biog Andrew O'Brien was born in South Wales. He has just completed Guildhall’s MMP Young Artists Programme graduating with first class honours. He is the Director of Music at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square and is also the founding Artistic Director of the Chelsea Schubert Festival. He studied music at Kings College, London and the University of East Anglia where he held major scholarships for piano, organ and singing. He was also the holder of two national choral conducting scholarships and studied with Sharon Choa while at UEA and subsequently with Gregory Rose and Ordaline de Martinez. A late starter to singing Andrew began his studies with Gareth Williams and subsequently with Stuart Burrows before moving to London and continuing his studies with Anthony Rolfe-Johnson and Ian Partridge. He was a principal in the Welsh National Youth Opera and the New Opera performing lead roles in Weber's Der Freischutz and Rameau's Hippolyte et Aricie. He has also attended a large variety of music courses, some of which include Ardingly Summer School, Stuttgart Bach Akademie, and four courses in 2005 at the Britten/Pears School where he studied and performed in master-classes with Yvonne Kenny, Andreas Scholl and Philip Langridge. Now aged 27, Andrew already pursues an active career in singing. Recent engagements have included Britten’s Winter Words at the Wigmore Hall, a Mozart day at the Purcell Rooms, a European tour of Rossini’s Tancredi with Rene Jacobs, the premiere of Rick Peats I’m the king of the Castle, Britten’s Curlew River, Bach’s St.Matthew Passion as both evangelist and tenor soloist in London, Scotland and Stuttgart (with the Bach Akademie and Helmut Rilling), Stravinsky's Les Noces and Part's St.John's Passion with the BSO Contemporary Music Group, Handel's Messiah in London, Sienna, Wales, Cambridge, Yorkshire, Handel’s Israel in Egypt in the Vitterbo Baroque Festival with Canticum, Rachmaninov’s Vespers in Orvieto Cathedral, Toulouse and a UK tour of The Magic Flute with Surrey Opera. Future engagements include performances of Britten's The Turn of the Screw, St.Nicholas, Canticles, Serenade for tenor, tenor horn and strings, The Holy Sonnets of John Donne and Quatre Chansons, Vaughan-Williams’ On Wenlock Edge, Monteverdi’s Vespers, the Evangelist in Bach's St.Matthew Passion, Mendelssohn's Elijah, as well as performances in the USA, Germany, France and Austria. Piano - Sholto Kynoch: Show Biog | Hide Biog Sholto Kynoch is a song accompanist and chamber musician and has performed in both capacities around the UK and abroad, regularly partnering many outstanding singers and instrumentalists. Sholto read Music at Worcester College, Oxford, and studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His teachers have included Michael Dussek, Graham Johnson, Malcolm Martineau, Ronan O’Hora and Vanessa Latarche. He has also received coaching from, amongst others, Dame Felicity Lott (at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival), Ferenc Rados (at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove), and Anne Sofie von Otter & Bengt Forsberg (at the Danish Lied Society course). He is the founder and director of the Oxford Lieder Festival, where he has accompanied nearly forty song recitals over the past six years, working with singers including Kate Royal, Mark Stone, Jonathan Lemalu and Henry Herford. With tenor Ian Partridge, he has performed Schubert’s Winterreise at the Chelsea Schubert Festival, and he recently gave a concert with Joan Rodgers at Richard Stokes’ Westminster song series. Also an accomplished chamber musician, Sholto is the pianist of the Prometheus Piano Trio with whom he has performed extensively, including at the Martinu Hall in Prague as winners of the Anglo-Czechoslovak Award. In April 2006, with violinist Kaoru Yamada (supported by the Kirckman Society) he made his debut at Wigmore Hall, where he also appeared as part of the “Guildhall Gold” showcase concert. In the 2005 BBC Proms he performed two major chamber works by Marc-André Dalbavie in the Royal Albert Hall at a Composer Portrait Prom, broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Forthcoming highlights include concerts at the St Endellion, Chichester, Cambridge Summer Music and Perth Festivals, a recital in the Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie in Berlin with soprano Olja Dakic, and return concerts at the Westminster song series (with Sophie Daneman), the Chelsea Schubert Festival and Wigmore Hall. Doric Quartet: Show Biog | Hide Biog Alex Redington - 1st violin Jonathan Stone - 2nd violin Simon Tandree - viola John Myerscough - cello The Doric String Quartet is fast emerging as one of the outstanding quartets of their generation. Now in its 10th season and its members only averaging 25 years old, the Quartet regularly performs at most of the UK’s leading chamber music venues as well as abroad in Europe and Asia. Recent performances include their debut at the Edinburgh International Festival (broadcast on BBC Radio 3), two concerts at Wigmore Hall including the world premiere of a work by Gordon Kerry for quartet and voice with Catherine Wyn-Rogers, and a tour of Indonesia. They will return to Wigmore Hall for a Coffee Concert in May and will give the closing concert of the 2007/8 season as well as performing an evening recital in the hall’s Haydn celebrations in 2009 alongside such groups as the Jerusalem, Hagen and Mosaiques Quartets. Future plans also include their Paris debut at the Auditorium du Louvre, concerts in Germany and Israel, a tour of South East Asia, and further performances at festivals across the UK including Bath, Cambridge, Exeter, Newbury and Rye. In 2006 the Doric Quartet was selected for representation by Young Concert Artists Trust (YCAT). Formed in 1998 at Pro Corda, The National School for Young Chamber Music Players, in Suffolk. Since 2002 the Doric String Quartet have been studying on the Paris-based ProQuartet Professional Training Program, where they have worked with Walter Levin of the LaSalle Quartet and with members of the Alban Berg, Artemis and Hagen Quartets. They are currently studying with Rainer Schmidt of the Hagen Quartet. In 2000 the Doric String Quartet won the inaugural Bristol Millennium Chamber Music Competition. They were subsequently made “Artists in Residence” at the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon where they combine a concert series with education work involving local primary schools. In 2001 they made their Purcell Room debut in a Park Lane Group concert and have since gone on to give several concerts under the auspices of the PLG, including three performances of Haydn’s Seven Last Words at the Purcell Room and four evening recitals at Wigmore Hall. In 2004 they were invited to perform Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet with Michael Collins at Wigmore Hall’s Christmas Concert. Abroad the Quartet have given recitals in Austria, France, Italy and Germany, appearing at Chateau de Fontainebleau near Paris, the Associazione Alessandro Scarlatti series in Naples, and at the ORF (Austrian Radio) Funkhaus in Vienna. Alex Redington and Jonathan Stone completed their postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 where they studied with Howard Davis. Mark Braithwaite graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2005 and is now a student of Thomas Riebl. John Myerscough graduated from Selwyn College, Cambridge in 2003 and is now a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he studies with Louise Hopkins. The Doric String Quartet acknowledges the generous support of an Anonymous Foundation. Vaughn Williams – On Wenlock Edge and other songs Edward Elgar – piano quintet. Ralph Vaughan Williams’ lessons with Ravel gave him a feeling for musical impressionism’s harmonic and timbral colors, such as the expressive possibilities of parallel chords. Ravel’s influence turns up in the six songs of On Wenlock Edge, after poems by A.E. Housman.Written in 1909 for string quartet, piano and tenor, it is one of the supreme master pieces of the English song cycle repertoire. Coupled with this is the programmatic A minor Quintet by Elgar. Like RVW, Elgar seems to have drawn his inspiration from the natural beauty of the area surrounding area.

19.00: Evening Concert

Piano - Michael Brough: Show Biog | Hide Biog Michael Brough was born in Leeds in 1960 and educated at Heath Grammar School, Halifax and at Leeds University. He began to play the piano in 1966 and the organ in 1969, studying with Sydney Pickles in Halifax between 1969 and 1991 and received masterclass tuition in organ playing from Peter Hurford (St Albans Cathedral), David Briggs (Gloucester Cathedral) and Olivier Latry (Notre Dame de Paris). He was appointed organist of St Paul’s Church, Halifax in 1973, taking lessons from Philip Tordoff at Halifax Parish Church and was organist of the Leeds University Church from 1980 to 1982. The 1970s saw him playing for services at Hereford, Bath and Beverley whilst still a teenager. He has been playing at Holy Trinity Sloane Street, London SW1 since 1989. In 1992, he built the twelve large wooden pipes for the 32ft Contra Trombone in the Pedal Organ at Holy Trinity and still keeps the organ under a watchful eye as it approaches the most major rebuild and restoration in its 117-year history. He gives a small number of recitals and visiting accompanimental work each year. In 1979, he spent most of the year teaching in the tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho, in Southern Africa. He has composed eighty-four Lieder for voice and piano, using texts by poets from the time of Goethe and Schiller to twentieth century writers such as Hermann Hesse and Paul Celan, many of which have been performed England and in Switzerland and which have attracted the interest of several singers, including Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who keeps a complete folio of them in Berlin. He has written sacred music for voices and organ, solo organ and piano music, and is currently writing a sonata for bass clarinet and piano for the young clarinettist Lucy Downer. He qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and practises on his own account in Buckinghamshire, precariously balancing this work with his musical activities. Piano - Oliver Lallemant: Show Biog | Hide Biog Oliver Lallemant was born in Swansea and became a chorister at Llandaff Cathedral when he was eight. His first attempts at a musical career ended up with him singing "We're walking in the air" in Welsh on national television! After attending Wells Cathedral School and King's School Bruton, Oliver took up an organ scholarship at Trinity College Cambridge in 2002. A year later he won the Edith Leigh Piano Prize. Oliver is now a freelance musician based in London and is Assistant Director of Music at Holy Trinity Sloane Square. He divides his time between keyboard tuition at Notting Hill & Ealing High School and as a performer. He holds both an Associate diploma from the Royal College of Organists as well as a Licentiate diploma in piano performance from the Royal Schools of Music. Brahms - German Requiem Op 45. Rachmaninoff - Suite No.2 for four hands The first complete (excepting the yet-unwritten fifth movement) performance of the Requiem in London, in July 1871 at the home of Sir Henry Thompson and his wife, the pianist Kate, Lady Thompson and Cipriani Potter. His masterfull piano writing in the arrangement of Ein deutches Requiem adds clarity to the texture without distracting from the impact of the orchestral version and allows listeners greater understanding of the work.

Tuesday 16th September

19:30: Evening Concert

Mercury Quartet: Show Biog | Hide Biog The Mercury 4tet is a newly formed quartet by four students of the Royal College of Music, London: a Romanian violinist, a British clarinettist and French cellist and pianist. Basically formed to play the well renowned Quartet for the end of time by Olivier Messiaen, the quartet is now dedicated to the interpretation of the masterworks of the 20th century as well as any new expression of the contemporary music. Determined to give a new vision of the contemporary repertoire, the quartet is open to any interdisciplinary work with visual artists and comedians or dancers. Their next projects include the mercury plugged quartet, playing on electric instruments, Takemitsu’s quadruple concerto with orchestra: Quatrain or Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire. Since Winter 2008, the Mercury 4tet was accepted to be part of Concordia Foundation International ensemble, which will lead them to perform in famous London venues such as St Martin in the Fields. Violin: Vlad Maistorovici Cello: Corentin Chassard Clarinet: Harry Cameron-Penny Piano: Antoine Francoise Berg – adagio from Chamber concerto, 7 Fruh lieder, Takemitsu – Quartrain II Schubert – Song selection & Arpegggione Sonata Supported by the Concordia Foundation The Mercury quartet is a newly formed quartet by four students of the Royal College of Music, London. Basically formed to play the well renowned Quartet for the end of time by Olivier Messiaen, the quartet is now dedicated to the interpretation of the masterworks of the 20th century as well as any new expression of the contemporary music. They will present an extremely varied programme which will include the adagio from Berg’s Chamber concerto – a classical and objective piece which employs the twelve-tone set, Berg’s 7 Early songs which are an interesting synthesis combining Berg's heritage of pre-Schoenberg song writing with the rigour and undeniable influence of Schoenberg along with the heritage of Richard Strauss, the well beloved Arpeggione sonata by Schubert.

Wednesday 17th September

13.10: Lunchtime Concert Violin - Jane Ng: Show Biog | Hide Biog The performing career of Malaysian-born violinist, Jane Ng, is recognised in major concert venues in Europe. Her talent was recognized in year 2000 when she was awarded a 4-year International Full Scholarship from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, from which she graduated with First Class Honours, and was subsequently awarded a full scholarship from the Royal College of Music to pursue her Masters of Music degree. In 2007, she graduated with the prestigious RCM Artist Diploma in Violin Performance. Since her arrival in the UK in 1999, Jane has won the Hastings Music Festival and the Hatfield Music Festival. She has performed regularly across the UK, most notably in the Leeds International Concert Series, University of Essex, St James’ Piccadilly, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Steinway Hall, St John’s Smith Square, the Benslow Music Trust, ‘Live Music Now’ at The Caledonian Club, Strathgarry Hall in Scotland, Netherhall House, Milton Keynes, Hitchin, Hildenborough, and Brockley. She has also played at the Malaysian High Commission and for the ABRSM Golden Jubilee Scholars’ Lunchtime Concert. As concerto soloist, Jane made her England debut in 2004 with the Hatfield Philharmonic Orchestra, performing the Sibelius Violin Concerto. More recently she appeared with the Hertfordshire Youth County Orchestra as part of Benslow’s 75th anniversary celebrations. In addition to her achievements as a violinist, Jane is also an accomplished pianist, composer, and orchestrator, performing in international festivals in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Czech Republic, Spain, and in Hungary. In 2005, she gave the premiere of her composition ‘’The Pagoda of Dreams – Fantasia for Violin & Orchestra’’ at the RCM Concerto Trial Competition. As a pianist she won 2nd prize at the "Virtuosi per Musica di Pianoforte'' International Piano Competition in the Czech Republic, has performed Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major as soloist with the London Chamber Orchestra, and also the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 at the PETRONAS Twin Towers in Malaysia. Forthcoming UK concerts include violin recitals in Hants, St John’s Notting Hill, St Olave’s Church, Chelsea Schubert Festival, Essex University, Milton Keynes, and Bath. Jane is grateful to Mrs Olive Gellhorn and the Benslow Music Trust for the loan of a French Vuillaume violin. Piano - Cameron Roberts: Show Biog | Hide Biog “high calibre playing, with a controlled vehemence that you might have encountered in a musician twice his age. He is a significant talent” - The Age, Australia Cameron Roberts. Born in Australia, Cameron Roberts is recognised as a pianist of great distinction and originality. His recent CD recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations and original transcriptions is praised as ‘thought-provoking… a disc of rare and valuable discretion’, and has been used in the film Lucky Miles (2007, Australia). His performing repertoire includes the monumental Iberia by Albeniz, The 24 Preludes by Rachmaninoff, and original solo piano arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.3. Roberts studied at The University of Melbourne, the Australian National Academy, and further at the Moscow Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Royal Academy, London, and the Tanglewood Institute, USA. In his home country he won first prizes in The Mozart Concerto Competition (1997), The Grainger Competition (1998), and was finalist in the National Piano Award (2004). He has performed as soloist in London, York, Gante, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne, in ensembles in The Royal Albert Hall, London, The Konzertgebauw, Netherlands, and The Sydney Opera House, and he has collaborated with such conductors as Lawrence Foster and John Hopkins, performing concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Rachmaninoff. Roberts maintains a strong interest in contemporary music, jazz and composition, and is currently supported by the Ian Potter Trust and the Michael Kieran Harvey Piano Scholarship. Next season he has solo and chamber concerts in the UK, Spain, Germany and Australia. Ysaye - Poeme Elegiaque in D minor, Op. 12 Schubert - Violin Sonata in A, D 574 Bloch - Nigun from Baal Shem Ravel - Violin Sonata The performing career of Malaysian-born violinist, Jane Ng, was recognized in year 2000 when she was awarded a 4-year International Full Scholarship from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, from which she graduated with First Class Honours. She has performed regularly since then across the UK, most notably in the Leeds International Concert Series, University of Essex, Steinway Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Strathgarry Hall in Scotland and more. Australian pianist Cameron Roberts is recognised as a pianist of great distinction and originality. His recent CD recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations and original transcriptions is praised as ‘thought-provoking… a disc of rare and valuable discretion’, and has been used in the film Lucky Miles (2007, Australia). Together Jane and Cameron shall perform a highly challenging programme of pieces by Ysaye, Ravel, Kreisler and Schubert.

* Pre-concert talk, 18:45 – Judy Blezzard: Show Biog | Hide Biog Judith Blezzard comes from Bingley, West Yorkshire, and studied music at Leeds University. Her doctorate was awarded for work on manuscripts of early English church music, and much of her later work has been concerned with manuscript studies. In her thirty-year career lecturing in music at the University of Liverpool she directed choirs in the University and elsewhere, giving concerts in Vienna, Salzburg and numerous English locations. For many years she has been a committee member of the Schubert Institute UK. Her publications include much choral music, usually for small choirs, with firms such as Faber Music and Oxford University Press. Most of this music has German texts, and Judith prefers to include two English translations: one for singing, underlaid parallel to the German and without alteration to the music; and one in prose for programme notes, translating the German text precisely. Since retirement Judith has moved back to Yorkshire and now gives talks about music as well as directing groups of singers, usually by invitation at cathedrals and churches where traditional Anglican music is becoming a rarity. In her spare time she enjoys steam trains, trams, travel, and most of all walking in the Yorkshire countryside. 19.30: Evening Concert

Soprano - Rhona Mckail: Show Biog | Hide Biog Rhona McKail, 26, from Prestwick in Ayrshire studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama where she gained a BA (Musical Studies) with first class honours in 2005. She is currently studying in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, from where she gained a Masters of Music with distinction and recently graduated, also with distinction, from the Master of Music in Performance (Guildhall Artist) degree. In December 2006 she won one of twelve places on the Guildhall’s highly coveted opera course and began studying on that course in October 2007. Studying with her vocal tutors Patricia MacMahon and Jane Irwin at the RSAMD, Rhona won many accolades and, since moving to London, under the tutelage of John Evans has excelled in the Maggie Teyte French Song competition winning the Miriam Lycette Scholarship of 2006; she won the Simon Fletcher Charitable Trust Scholarship in 2007 and was the winner of the Association of English Speakers and Singers Patricia Routledge National English Song Competition in the same year. Most recently she won second prize in the London Handel Festival’s Handel Singing competition. Rhona has already enjoyed the privilege of working and performing with distinguished musicians which include: - Graham Johnson; Iain Burnside; Sir Thomas Allen; Eugene Asti; Yvonne Kenny; Catherine Bott; Malcolm Martineau; Philip Langridge and Ann Murray and most recently in a masterclass with François le Roux. Increasingly in high demand as an artist across the UK in concerts and oratorios, Rhona has performed in the most prestigious venues in the country, including: - The Wigmore Hall; St. Martin in the Fields; Cadogan Hall and the Birmingham Symphony Hall. She has performed on both BBC Radio 4 with Robin Bowman and BBC Radio 3 with Iain Burnside. Recent performances include: -; Opera Scenes at the GSMD and the Bridewell Theatre Fleet Street, Carmina Burana – Orff; The Seasons – Haydn; recitals in the Windsor Festival, the Chelsea Schubert Festival and the Oxford Lieder Festival. Rhona is generously supported by: The Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarships Trust; The Scottish International Education Trust; The Kathleen Trust; The Simon Fletcher Charitable Trust and The Susan Chilcott Trust, she is the Drapers’ de Turckheim Vocal Scholar with support from the Playing Card Makers’ Company, and she is proud to be a Samling Scholar. Piano - Marc Verter: Show Biog | Hide Biog Marc was born in Tel Aviv. He holds an M.Mus degree in piano from Indiana University School of Music where he studied with the late Leonard Hokanson. He obtained an M.Mus Degree in accompaniment from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he studied with Graham Johnson and Ronan O'Hora. He is currently studying towards his doctorate and working as a coach at the Guildhall School. He received scholarships from The Geoffrey Parsons Memorial Trust Award for 2004 and the Accompanist prize at the 2004 Patricia Routledge English Song Competition. In May 2006 he won the Titanic award for accompanists at the English Song Competition at the Guildhall School. Recently he won the accompanist’s prize from the Kathleen Ferrier society (2007 singer’s bursaries). Marc has participated in festivals in Israel, Belgium, Spain, Holland, France, USA, Canada and the UK including the Britten-Pears School, Ravinia Festival in Chicago (Steans Institute); he was an official accompanist at the Queen Elisabeth competition for singers in Brussels 2004 and was a repetiteur at the Aix en Provence Festival 2007. He performs regularly in the UK and abroad; previous concerts have included the Wigmore Hall, Barbican Centre, St. John's Smith Square, Sheffield University, Canterbury Festival, Aldeburgh, Birmingham University, the Oxford Lieder Festival, the Chelsea Schubert festival and St Martin in the Fields. He has performed song recitals which were broadcast live on the radio in Jerusalem, Brussels and in Amsterdam. Marc has worked with up and coming young singers such as Kate Royal, Claire Booth, Benedict Nelson, Katherine Broderick and Elena Xanthoudakis and with internationally renowned soprano Nelly Miricioiu. Since 2007, Marc is the co-artistic director of the Chelsea Schubert Festival. Oboe - Rosalie Philips: Show Biog | Hide Biog Rosalie Philips is currently living and working as a freelance musician and instrumental teacher in London. She studied for five years at music college, gaining a First Class Honours Degree from the Royal College of Music, and a Master of Music, specialising in orchestral playing, from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her professors have included John Anderson, Gordon Hunt, Richard Simpson and Neil Black. Since graduating Rosalie has been developing her career as a freelance oboist. In 2007 she was co-principal oboe of Southbank Sinfonia, a unique training orchestra based in London Waterloo, where she enjoyed working closely with members of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the BBC Concert orchestra and the orchestra of the Royal Opera House. She is currently playing 2nd oboe and cor anglais with English Touring Opera, and performs regularly with Opera East, the Sussex Symphony and the Solaris Ensemble. Whilst at the RCM, Rosalie formed a duo with pianist Alistair Watson, and founded Trio Dubois. They regularly give recitals both in London and beyond. Songs by Schubert, Vaughan Williams and Britten Supported by the Association of English Singers and Speakers The Association of English Singers and Speakers was formed in 1913 by the leading laryngologist of his time, Dr W.A. Aikin, to further study the scientific principles of phonology as expounded in his book, 'The Voice'. In 1982 the then chairman, Catherine Lambert, inaugurated the AESS English Song Prize that is still an annual event. It is the only vocal competition that combines a ‘themed’ recital of English Song, with verse speaking together with spoken introductions. The prize winner of the 2007 competition was Rhona McKail who will present this evening together with Marc Verter a varied programme of songs by Schubert, Vaughan Williams and Britten. A pre concert talk will be given by Judy Blezzard.

Thursday 18th September

* Pre-concert talk, 18:45 – Dr Sharon Choa 19:30: Evening Concert Barbirolli Quartet: Show Biog | Hide Biog The Barbirolli Quartet is known for its diverse, prolific repertoire and dynamic approach to performance, in particular its 'exhilarating performances of Janacek's String Quartets'. Formed in 2003 at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the Barbirolli Quartet (formerly the Stillman Quartet) brings together a wealth of experience, its members each having performed widely in their native countries of Canada, Wales, Australia and New Zealand before coming to England to continue their studies. They are now based in London. The quartet has a keen interest in performing new music and in January 2008 made their Purcell Room debut as Park Lane Group Artists to critical acclaim. They regularly work in conjunction with new composers, presenting an annual programme of contemporary quartets and as an extension of this work they visit local schools to workshop student compositions. Future performances include 'Folk Music' by Joe Cutler and a new work by Emily Hall commissioned in 2008 by HHH concerts in Surrey. The Barbirolli Quartet was selected for the prestigious 2008 Countess of Munster Musical Trust Recital Scheme and are 2008 Tunnell Trust winners. Between 2004 and 2007 the quartet were the 'Young Artists in Residence' at the University of Salford, involving regular performances in the Tuesday Midday Recitals at Peel Hall, and were then invited to continue their involvement with the university as 'Quartet in Residence'. Engagements in 08/09 include their Wigmore Hall debut (April 2008), The Chelsea Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, St David's Hall Cardiff, Harrogate International Festival, Manchester Mid-Day in Bridgewater Hall, St James's Piccadilly and St John’s, Smith Square. The Barbirolli Quartet has collaborated with eminent pianists in an ongoing cycle of Piano Quintets, covering the major romantic works of Dvorak, Brahms and Schumann and this season they will also be joined by David Campbell and Timothy Orpen for performances of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet. They also take up their recently awarded Artists Fellowship at London's Guildhall. Looking beyond 08/09, the quartet travel to New Zealand in November 09 where they join the panel of adjudicators for the Pettman/ROSL Arts International Scholarship and give a series of recitals. The Barbirolli Quartet has been selected by the European Concert Halls Organisation (ECHO) for inclusion in the prestigious 'Rising Stars' series, following their nomination by the UK concert hall members of the ECHO organisation; this tour of Europe’s leading concert halls in 2009-2010 will take them to cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Barcelona, Athens, Stockholm and Salzburg and will include a recital at Birmingham Town Hall here in the UK. Rakhi Singh (violin) is based in London and performs regularly with St. Martins-in-the-Fields, Ensemble Moderne and the Fine Arts Ensemble of Wales. Over the past year she has performed the Sibelius, Prokofiev and Kurt Weill concertos with orchestras in the UK and toured Italy with the Orchestra of the Toscanini Foundation performing the Beethoven concerto. Recent projects included a collaboration with Diversions (Wales' National Dance Company) performing movements from Bach's d minor partita. She is the Winner of the Bryn Terfel Scholarship and the Prince of Wales Award 2008. Katie Stillman (violin) was chosen for the Tillett Trust’s Young Artists’ Platform in 2005 and in 2006 was awarded the Maisie Lewis Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. She was prize-winner at the International Stepping Stones Competition the same year. Recent engagements include a lunchtime recital for the Manchester Mid-day series at Bridgewater Hall, her Purcell Room debut as part of the Park Lane Group "Young Artists" New Year Series 2007, a concerto performance with the London Mozart Players and recitals at St. John’s Smith Square, St. James's Piccadilly, St George’s Bristol and Wigmore Hall. Katie is currently studying in Graz, Austria with Yair Kless as a Wingate Scholar. Ella Brinch (viola) joined the CBSO in 2006, having freelanced with many major orchestras in the North. Before moving to England Ella played regularly with the Australian Opera and Ballet orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Ella has been in high demand, performing in the Maraini Quartet, the Epsilon Quartet and collaborating with artists such as Hugh McKenna and Nick Cox whilst studying at the RNCM. Since joining the CBSO she has performed with colleagues in the Centre Stage chamber music series as well as becoming a regular member of the Innovation Chamber Ensemble. Victoria Simonsen (cello) regularly attends the IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music Sessions and performs recitals throughout the UK, collaborating with several brilliant young pianists. She was winner of the 2008 ROSL Music Competition's strings section and is a Solo Artist on the Countess of Munster's Recital Scheme. Other awards include the Countess of Munster's 'Star' Award, Barbirolli Cello Prize and the prestigious Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. On completion of her studies at the RNCM with Ralph Kirshbaum she was awarded the 2006 Gold Medal and Audience Prize. Victoria was Section Principal Cellist of the Orchestra of Opera North 2005-2007, before moving to London to further pursue her musical ambitions. Haydn Quartet No. 50 in B flat major, Op. 64m Beethoven Quartet, Op 18, No.4 in C Minor Schubert Quartettsatz in C minor, D.703 Debussy Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10 The Barbirolli Quartet is known for its diverse, prolific repertoire and dynamic approach to performance, in particular its 'exhilarating performances of Janacek's String Quartets'. Formed in 2003 at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the Barbirolli Quartet brings together a wealth of experience, its members each having performed widely in their native countries of Canada, Wales, Australia and New Zealand before coming to England to continue their studies. In January 2008, the quartet made their Purcell Room debut as Park Lane Group Artists to critical acclaim. They were selected for the prestigious 2008 Countess of Munster Musical Trust Recital Scheme and are 2008 Tunnell Trust winners. They are also 'Quartet in Residence' at Salford University and have been awarded the Guildhall Artists Fellowship. Engagements include their Wigmore Hall debut (April 2008), The Chelsea Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, Harrogate International Festival, St. David's Hall Cardiff, Manchester Mid-Day in Bridgewater Hall, St James's Piccadilly and St. John’s Smith Square. In November 09 the quartet travel to New Zealand where they join the panel of adjudicators for the Pettman/ROSL Arts International Scholarship and give a series of recitals. The Barbirolli Quartet has been selected by the European Concert Halls Organisation (ECHO) for inclusion in the prestigious 'Rising Stars' series 2009-2010, following their nomination by the UK concert hall members of the ECHO organisation.

Friday 19th September

13.10: Lunchtime Concert Tenor - Adrian Ward: Show Biog | Hide Biog Born in Cambridge in 1983, Adrian Ward studied at the Guildhall School of Music and drama on the Opera course where he was a student Rudolf Piernay He is winner of the 2008 Royal Over-Seas League vocal section prize and in 2007 he was selected for representation by Young Concert Artists Trust (YCAT) in London. As a soloist Adrian has appeared at Wigmore Hall, Barbican Hall, Snape Maltings, St John’s Smith Square, Cadogan Hall, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Royal Albert Hall and sung for the Songmakers’ Almanac, the Schubert Institute (Austria) and the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival (Chicago). Recent performances include A Child of our Time at The Anvil, the Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall under Sir David Willcocks and Handel with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Operatic experience includes Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at The Sage, Gateshead for Samling Opera directed by Sir Thomas Allen, Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), The Brazilian (La Vie Parisienne), Horace (La Colombe) at the Guildhall School, Gonzalve (L’heure espagnole), Sailor (Dido and Aeneas - English Bach Festival), Lover (Il Tabarro), Anfinomo (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria), Mecurio (La Didone) and Mercury (The Judgement of Paris). Forthcoming engagements include recitals at Blackheath Halls and Barber Institute Birmimgham. Piano - Francois Sallignat: Show Biog | Hide Biog After having achieved his solo piano studies in France with two first prizes in Lyon and Rueil-Malmaison, while he completed a master in mathematics, Francois Salignat decides in 2004 to join the postgraduate course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. There he obtains a Master degree in 2005 and a fellowship in 2006-2007. At GSMD he studies privately or in masterclasses with Simon Crawford-Phillips, Robin Bowman, Gordon Bak, Graham Johnson, Iain Burnside, Malcolm Martineau, Rudolf Jansen, Semion Skigin and Martin Katz. He is an alumnus of the Britten-Pears programme in Aldeburgh and has been involved in Graham Johnson’s Young songmakers’ almanach programme. He has won over the academic year 2005-2006 both the Birmingham Accompanist of the Year and the Gerald Moore awards. As a collaborative pianist, he has performed in St-Luke’s, St-Martin-in-the-fields, St John Smith’s square, Barbican Hall, Wigmore Hall (Guildhall Gold 2006, Wigmore Hall song competition final round) and at the City of London festival. He has worked with Marie-Ange Todorovich, Marc Barrard, Barbara Boney and Luc Hery, leader of the Orchestre national de France. His performance of the complete Duparc songs with Katherine Broderick and Marc Scoffoni has been recorded for the Performance channel. Francois is also involved in a recording of Otto Klemperer’s songs. As an accompanist he has been member of staff at the international summer courses of Ardingly, Nice and Canford. Francois has co