Farnborough Music Society
It is a great pleasure to introduce the 2009-10 season and hope that you will find much to enjoy. This season’s concerts are given by artists at the very top of their profession and we hope that you will take every opportunity of joining us for what promises to be a very exciting journey. We look forward to welcoming you.
Tickets are £8 per person (students free of charge) and are available through our Box Office – 01252 688219. It is advisable to book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
Saturday 27th February 2010, 7.30pm - LUIS PECAS (COUNTERTENOR)
UK DEBUT
Luis began his musical studies as an oboist, studying at the National Conservatoire in Lisbon, as well as becoming principal oboist with the Band of the Portuguese Air Force. In parallel with his woodwind career, Luis continued to dedicate himself to his first love, singing, taking up vocal studies under Liliane Bizinech, and attending master classes given by internationally known names such as Max Van Egmond, the Dutch baritone and Jill Feldman, the American soprano. In London, Luis worked on his interpretation of the Baroque repertoire under Rodney Gibson at the Guildhall. Luis has performed throughout Portugal at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and made a number of television appearances in concerts, shows and documentaries. Acclaimed for his sympathetic interpretation of the Baroque composers, he has been invited to perform to audiences in France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil and the United States. This evening’s concert represents his debut appearance in the UK. He is accompanied by Joao Santos.
Joao studied organ at Porto University and is principal organist at Leiria Cathedral, and also at the Sanctuary of Fatima during the summer months. He has won many organ prizes at home and abroad and has represented Portugal in Europe-wide projects forming part of the Socrates programme. As well as accompanying Luis, Joao performs organ recitals across the whole spectrum of musical development, and has had several of his own works premiered in public performance.
Saturday 27th March 2010, 7.30pm - ENSEMBLE 4 (CLARINET ENSEMBLE)
A varied programme, including Mozart: Marriage of Figaro, Dubois: Quartet, Uhl: Divertimento, and Albinoni: Sonata in G minor
Ensemble4 was created by founder members Paul Sanders and Neil Hickling in 1999. Since then the Ensemble has developed a wide repertoire of original works and arrangements from Bach to the Beatles and beyond. In 2005 they gave the British premiere of Czech composer Karel Janovicky’s Quartet written originally for the Prague Clarinet Quartet, and in 2006 the British premiere of Maltese composer Joseph Vella’s Quartet. All four members have extensive experience in the field of music education and undertook a highly successful “Live in the Libraries” tour of County Durham in 2003 as part of a community outreach scheme. Other tours have included a visit to the Channel Islands to present public concerts, workshops and educational projects in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. The quartet gives numerous concerts and recitals for music clubs in the UK and abroad, and were privileged to have been asked to perform in the Maltese Victoria International Arts Festival in 2008. Future plans include a return visit to the Channel Islands, a tour under the auspices of the Scottish Arts Council, and the production of a CD on the WMP Classics label to show the diversity of the available repertoire.
Saturday 24th April 2010, 7.30pm - ST JOHN’S PIANO TRIO
Haydn: Trio in G, Hob XV25 (Gypsy Rondo)
Shostakovich: Trio in E minor
Schubert: Trio in E flat, D.929
Over the last fifteen years, The St John’s Piano Trio has given performances of all the major works in the piano trio repertoire, including complete cycles of the trios of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Brahms. They have also recently performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, directed from the piano by Nigel Wilkinson.
Formerly a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ron Colyer is now a freelance violinist, working mainly as an orchestral leader and chamber music player. He is also an acknowledged authority on Alexander Technique and a leading exponent of Suzuki string teaching. Paul Cox has given numerous concerto and recital performances and has appeared as a soloist with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Many of his concert appearances have featured contemporary music, and several of the groups such as Option Band and lnnererklang have specialised in promoting new music. He is Head of Strings at Southampton University, and founder of the Eureka! Foundation, which combines the interests of performance and instrumental education. Nigel Wilkinson was for many years a senior producer with BBC Radio Three, where he won two Sony awards. As a harpsichord player, he gave over 200 performances with the chamber ensemble Collage: as a pianist, he has performed complete cycles of the Mozart Piano Concertos and the Beethoven Sonatas. His currently works as a freelance performer, conductor, teacher and examiner.