6 October 2007 at 8pm - Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls
BELCEA STRING QUARTET
Corina Belcea-Fisher and Laura Samuel - violins, Krzysztof Chorzelski - viola, and Antoine Lederlin - cello
- Schubert: String Quartet in D minor ‘Death and the Maiden’, D810
- Schubert: String Quartet in G, D887
We are delighted to welcome back the Belcea Quartet, one of the very finest quartets of the new generation. They have gained an enviable reputation and continue to take British and international chamber music audiences by storm, consistently receiving critical acclaim for their performances. Formed in 1994, the Quartet was one of the selected artists for the BBC New Generations Scheme and received the Chamber Music Award of the Royal Philharmonic Society in both 2001 and 2003. They appear regularly at all the major UK festivals and at they Wigmore Hall where they were resident Quartet from 2001 to 2006.
‘In very few years, the Belcea Quartet has grown from a live-wire young ensemble into one of the most mature quartets around. Their sound is mellow and warm … and their unanimity is astounding.’ (Evening Standard)
Visit the Belcea's web site
27 October 2007 at 8pm - Tonbridge School Chapel
THE SIXTEEN
Conductor - HARRY CHRISTOPHERS
- The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage 2007 ‘Music from the Sistine Chapel’ focuses on the beautiful music from the Late Masters of the Papal Chapel: Allegri (including the famous Miserere), Anerio (Stabat Mater a 12), Palestrina and Marenzio, giving a rare insight into this musical world.
The Sixteen need no introduction to Tonbridge, and we are thrilled to be hosting a concert in this season’s Choral Pilgrimage, a tour of England’s finest cathedrals and concert halls. After 28 years of world-wide performance and recording, The Sixteen is recognised as one of the world’s greatest vocal ensembles. Its outstanding performances of early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance and a diverse range of 20th-century music all stem from the musical passions of conductor and founder Harry Christophers. Over a hundred prizewinning recordings exemplify The Sixteen’s unique quality, and the vigour and excitement of its live performances win new fans everywhere.
‘This is a simply magnificent performance.’ (International Record Review)
‘Sixteen, Sistine: It’s a match made in heaven.’ (The Times)
Visit THE SIXTEEN’s web site
24 November 2007 at 8pm - Big School, Tonbridge School
YEVGENY SUDBIN - piano
- Haydn: Sonatas in B minor and C major
- Medtner: Sonata ‘Remeniscenza’
- Chopin: Two Mazurkas: Op 33 No 2 in C minor, Op 33 No 4 in B minor
- Scriabin: Four Mazurkas from Op 3
- Scriabin: Sonata No 2 in G# minor, Op 19
- Scriabin: Sonata No 9, Op 68 ‘Messe Noire’
- Debussy: L’Isle Joyeuse
We have long awaited a return visit by this young pianist who so superbly accompanied violinist Ilya Gringolts back in 2003. Since then his career has truly blossomed, with such ecstatic reviews of his first two recordings that he is now recognised as one of the world’s most interesting and exciting young pianists. His recent concert appearances have met with huge success and rave reviews.
‘Yevgeny Sudbin is already hailed as potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century.’ (The Daily Telegraph)
‘Sudbin’s great quality was his acute sense of characterisation, conveying not just the letter of the music through his consummate technique, but also its spirit through his intuition and inspiration. Any chance to hear him should be snapped up.’ (The Daily Telegraph)
Visit Yevgeny Sudbin’s web site
12 January 2008 at 8pm - Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls
FLORESTAN TRIO
Susan Tomes - piano, Anthony Marwood - violin, Richard Lester - cello
- Mozart: Piano Trio in G, K496
- Saint-Saëns: Piano Trio No 2 in E minor, Op 92
- Schubert: Piano Trio No 1 in Bb, D898
A third visit by the outstanding Florestan Trio promises to be a real treat, with a wonderful programme culminating in Schubert’s masterly B flat Piano Trio.
Winners of the coveted Royal Philharmonic Society award for chamber music in 2000, the Florestan Trio, now in its twelfth season, continues to delight audiences worldwide. Their recordings, including those of this evening’s Saint-Saëns and Schubert Trios, have received outstanding reviews: all have been nominated for Gramophone Awards and are recommended choices in major collectors’ guides. In 2005 they were shortlisted for the BBC Radio 3 Listeners’ Award and a Gramophone Award for chamber music. A focal point of the Trio’s year is its own June festival in Peasmarsh, East Sussex.
‘Everything they touch seems to turn to musical gold. Music-making just doesn’t come much more sympathetic or stylish than this.’ (Gramophone)
‘The Florestan Trio defines great chamber music playing.’ (San Francisco Chronicle)
Visit the Florestan Trio’s web site
15 March 2008 at 8pm - Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls
BRASS10
Ten-piece brass ensemble
- A programme of original works for brass spanning 400 years, including music by Giovanni Gabrieli, Monteverdi, Praetorius, Gershwin and Jim Parker.
This award-winning ensemble has been working together since 2001 and has built up an enviable record of competition success, having won the Royal Overseas League Ensemble Competition for its excellence in performance. Brass10 is based on the formation pioneered by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble (4 trumpets, 1 French horn, 4 trombones and a tuba), giving them access to a huge repertoire of original compositions and arrangements, and enabling them to thrill audiences with performances of refined Renaissance music as well as show-stopping big band numbers.
Brass10 has appeared at many prestigious London venues, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations at Buckingham Palace, as well as at many major UK music festivals. They have also made numerous broadcasts for BBC Radio 3.
‘Sonority personified … wonderful! What a fabulous sound!’ (BBC Radio 3 - In Tune)
Visit the BRASS10 web site
10 May 2008 at 8pm - Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls
TASMIN LITTLE and PIERS LANE
Ten years ago this distinguished duo’s recital thrilled us all. Since then their long-standing partnership has continued while each of their careers has developed into new areas. In addition to her brilliant career as a soloist, Tasmin Little has established her reputation as Artistic Director with her hugely successful ‘Delius Inspired’ Festival, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2006. She now plays/directs a number of orchestras and made her fourteenth appearance at the BBC Proms last year.
Five times a BBC Proms soloist, Piers Lane’s flourishing international career as concerto soloist and chamber music player has taken him worldwide. He wrote and presented the popular 54-part series ‘The Piano’ for BBC Radio 3 and has recently been appointed Artistic Director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.
‘Little can justly be regarded as Britain’s finest violinist.’ (The Independent)
‘And in every note of this concert, both performers created a quality that’s too easily undervalued – beauty.’ (Birmingham Post)
Visit Tasmin Little’s & Piers Lane’s web sites
The Club reserves the right to make any programme changes which may be necessary
