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REVIEW OF JAMES BLACKFORD CONCERT on 20th February 2024

This concert was the penultimate one of the season and what an enjoyable concert it was. Australian, James Blackford plays the Euphonium, this is an instrument which looks like a small tuba and is sometimes called the tenor tuba. James is a winner of the Philip & Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists, and on tonight’s showing is a worthy winner. Other winners of this prestigous award include Steven Isserlis, Elizabeth Watts and Craig Ogden.

James’s accompanist on the piano was Ruth Hollick. The first half of the concert was taken up by familiar works such as Villiers- Stanford’s Caoine a Clarinet Sonata and James played the second movement which has been arranged for the Euphonium. This was a delightful beginning to the concert. This was followed by Hummel’s Fantasy, James played the one on Mozart’s “Non piu andrai” (Figaro), Op.124. This was followed by the lovely Prayer, the first movement from Bloch’s A Jewish Life. Then we heard that wonderful Variations on a Rococo Theme by Tchaikovsky.

After the interval James and Ruth played for us Anthony Brahe’s Tour de Force, this music was written especially for James. It was indeed a a tour de force. This was followed by Piazzola’s tango Café 1930. Another treat followed, Martin Ellerby’s Euphonium concerto and we heard the 3rd and 4th movements. The last item on the Programme was Philip Spark’s Harlequin this piece was composed for and dedicated to the Euphonium virtuoso David Childs. It depicts the happy and sad masks of the Comedia dell’Arte, this features Harlequin as one of the main characters, the other eight are Zanni (Giovanni), Pantalone, il Dottore, Pulcinella, Columbina, il Capitano and Brighella. I enjoyed this piece very much and felt that it really showed off the versatility of the Euphonium. Judging by the whoops and loud clapping at the end, the audience felt the same.

We were treated to an encore – a very popular choice for a Lincolnshire audience – part of (another Australian), Percy Grainger’s Lincolnshire Poesy.

James was ably supported by Ruth who is a very fine pianist indeed and she was mentioned especially admiringly by a member of the Club that I met yesterday.

This was a very special concert.

CM

CHANGE TO CONCERT ON 19th MARCH

We are sorry to report that Chris Green and Sophie Matthews have had to cancel their proposed visit and give us their concert “A Brief History of Music”. However, we hope that they will be able to come to us next season. We are delighted that Tom Dale will appear instead. Tom is a very fine guitarist and members will recall that he has visited us previously as part of a guitar duo.

AMBER EMSON: Violin & LEAH NICHOLSON: Piano will give a concert at Boston Grammar School at 7.30 pm on 16th January 2024. Tickets are £12 either at the door or in advance from 01205 366018, children and students are admitted free of charge. There is ample parking at the entrance to the Grammar School off Rowley Road PE21 6JE.

PROGRAMME

Sergei Prokofiev Sonata for violin and piano No.2 Op. 94a in D Major (24’)

I.   Moderato 

II.  Presto 

III. Andante 

VI. Allegro con brio

César Franck Sonata for violin and piano in A major (29’)

I.  Allegro ben moderato

II. Allegro

III.Ben moderato: Recitative-Fantasia

IV.Allegro poco mosso

Plus two smaller pieces:

Lili Boulanger 2 Morceaux: Nocturne and Cortège (5’)

Maurice Ravel – Tzigane

Biographies

Amber Emson, Violin


Amber (18) started playing violin at the age of 5 as a pupil of Margaret Norris and later Natasha Boyarsky; in 2009 she joined RAM’s Junior Department. As a student at Chetham’s School of Music 2014-16, she won the school’s Concerto Competition resulting in a performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Chetham’s Sinfonia at Manchester Cathedral, and the Catherine Perkins Chamber Music Prize. Between 2016 and 2019 Amber was member of the Royal College of Music’s Junior Department continuing her violin lessons
with Maciej Rakowski. Since 2020 she studies at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of So-Ock Kim. Amber actively participated in a number of mastercourses, amongst these with Pavel Vernikov, Maurizio Fuks (International Violin Mastercourse Kronberg Academy) and Kolja
Blacher (Carl Flesch Akademie Baden-Baden). In 2018, Amber was awarded the 2nd prize at the X. International Competition for Violin and Viola “Szymon Goldberg” in Meissen. In June 2019 she won 1st prize in the National Round
of Germany’s “Jugend Musiziert” competition, and in the same year she won 1st prize at the International Music Competition Hohenpriessnitz.
Invitations to perform as soloist with orchestras included Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole with the Orchestra of the City, the Sussex Concert Orchestra and with the Richmond Orchestra. In June 2019 she was invited as soloist of Paganini’s Violin Concerto No 2 with Reed’s School Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, followed by Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Sussex Concert Orchestra in Bexhill Festival, with Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra and, in November 2021,
with Sutton Symphony Orchestra. In November 2019 she made her debut playing Dvorak’s Violin Concerto with Enfield Chamber Orchestra. In 2020/21, Amber returned to Richmond Orchestra as a soloist, performing Sibelius’ Violin Concerto. Amber is a passionate chamber musician; together with her duo partner cellist Willard Carter, she won the RCM JD Chamber Music Competition and performed at the Wigmore Hall in June 2017 as part of their annual Young Artists’ showcase concert. Amber participated in the ‘Mit Musik – Miteinander’ Chamber Music course at Kronberg Academy in September 2018. Since August 2019, she is a member of LGT Young Soloists, performing in major concert halls worldwide as a soloist as well as part of the group. Recent tours have
taken her to Rheingau Musikfestival, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Berliner Philharmonie and Musikverein Wien, as well as a 2.5 weeks’ tour to Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta) and a CD recording. During the years, Amber’s musical activities have been supported by generous grants from
Awards for Young Musicians, EMI Music Sound Foundation, the Gerald Finzi Trust, the Rhona Reid Charitable Trust, the Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust, the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust, the Kathleen Trust and the Spoff’s Chamber Music Scholarships; she is a 2017, 2018 and 2019 Junior Scholarship recipient at the Hattori Foundation. Amber plays on a fine violin by Matthew Taylor from 1806.


Leah Nicholson, Piano


Leah Nicholson was born in 2001 and began studying with Galina Sandovskaya in St Petersburg, Russia, before continuing her musical education at Chetham’s School of Music in the UK with John Gough and Dr Murray McLachlan.
In 2018 Leah was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Schools of Music in Solo Piano Performance Diploma (FRSM with Distinction) and has since won a scholarship to further her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she is studying with Professor Tessa Nicholson. She has won top prizes at numerous competitions internationally and throughout the UK, including the 2014 International Chopin Festival in Mazovia, Poland, Polyphonica International Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Scottish International Youth Piano Competition, the Loretto James Waterhouse Piano Competition, EPTA Piano Competition UK and Chetham’s Bösendorfer Piano Competition. Leah is also the youngest ever winner of the Keldwyth Young Musicians Award.
Leah frequently performs in concerts and has appeared in many venues across Europe including the Wigmore Hall in London, Steinway Hall (UK), Sage Gateshead in Newcastle, Bridgewater Hall and Stoller Hall in Manchester, Petrikirche in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn, Estonia. As a result of winning Chetham’s Concerto Competition, she performed Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 with Chetham’s Orchestra conducted by
David Chatterton, and has also performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 under the baton of conductors such as Ryan Bancroft and Leon Reimer. As a developing artist, Leah has performed in masterclasses for renowned artists such as Christopher Elton, Stephen Hough, Noriko Ogawa, John Gough, Ory Shihor, Peter Frankl, Eugen Indjic, Pas

ANTOINE PRÈAT will give a solo piano recital at Boston Grammar School on Tuesday 10th October 2023 at 7.30 pm

Parking is available at the Rowley Road entrance PE21 6JE. Tickets are £12 in advance or at the door. Children and Students have free entrance to all concerts. To order a ticket in advance please telephone 01205 366018 or send your details to bostonconcertclub@gmail.com

BIOGRAPHY OF ANTOINE PRÈAT

Antoine is a Winner of the Philip and Dorothy Green Award 2020 and a City Music Foundation Artist, Franco-Belgian pianist Antoine Préat is a young artist to watch.

London-based for several years, Antoine has been invited to perform in prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Salle Gaveau, Salle Cortot, Paris Beaux Arts Museum, Frederyk Chopin Insitute, as well as festivals such as the Nohant Chopin Festival, Lisztomanias, Chopin à Bagatelle, Les Nuits du Piano in Paris, IMS Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove and Encuentro de Santander. He has appeared on BBC Radio 3, France Musique, Scala Radio and TRT Radio 3.

Antoine has performed alongside leading artists and orchestras including Maté Szücs, Manuel Blanco, Sinfonietta Lausanne, Lesley Hatfield, Robin Ireland, the Centre de Musique de Chambre de Paris, Sainsbury Soloists, Academy Festival Orchestra, University Orchestra of Alicante and London Student Orchestra. He is also a founding member of Trio Cordiera with whom he performs regularly.

Throughout his career, Antoine has also been fortunate to receive guidance from Philippe Cassard, Cedric Pescia, Thomas Adès, Robert Levin, Jerome Lowenthal, Richard Goode, Imogen Cooper and Stephen Hough.

After graduating with honours from the Ecole Normale de Paris where he studied with Liudmila Berlinskaia and Guigla Katsarava, Antoine furthered his studies at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Tatiana Sarkissova and Christopher Elton, while studying harpsichord and fortepiano under the guidance of Carole Cerasi.

Antoine was awarded the first prize of the Concours international d’Ile de France and the Los

Angeles Colburn Piano Festival Competition, the honour prize at the New York Début Piano Competition and most recently was a semifinalist at the Clara Haskil Competition 2021.

Antoine is generously supported by Talent Unlimited, the Munster Derek Butler Award, Hattori Foundation and the Winifred Christie Trust Award.

PROGRAMMME

Rameau – Suite en Sol

Schumann – Papillons op 2

Debussy – Images Book I

INTERVAL

Brahms – Klavierstucke op 119

Debussy – Images Book II

Faure – 3 Songs without words

73rd SEASON 2023-2024

The new season begins on 10th October at 7.30 pm. We welcome back Antoine Préat, pianist who will play music by Schumann, Debussy, Brahms and Fauré.

On 21st November we welcome back the Woodwind Trio, “Trio Volant” who will play music by Rossini, Beethoven, Canteloube, Mozart and Milhaud.

19th December “Cao Trio” a flute duo and piano who appear by kind permission of the Royal Northern College of Music.

16th January 2024 Amber Emson, violin and Leah Nicholson, piano playing Sonatas for violin and piano by Sergei Prokofiev and Cesar Franck.

20th February James Blackford, euphonium with piano accompanist. James is a Young Musician and winner of the Philip & Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists.

19th March “A Brief History of Music” with Chris Green and Sophie Matthews. 600 years of musical history in 90 minutes.

All concerts are at the Boston Grammar School PE21 6JE and there is ample parking at the entrance off Rowley Road.

Tickets are £12 in advance or at the door. Children and Students have free admission.

There will be further details on this web site as and when we know the full programmes.

PASSACAGLIA an early music trio playing Baroque music at Boston Grammar School on 21 February 2023 at 7.20 pm. Tickets are £12 and may be purchased in advance or at the door. To purchase in advance please call 01205 366018 or email bostonconcertclub@gmail.com; Children and Students may attend the concert free of charge. Ample parking is available via the Rowley Road entrance PE21 6JE.

Passacaglia Trio

Annabel Knight – baroque flute, recorders

Robin Bigwood – harpsichord

Reiko Ichise – viola da gamba

PROGRAMME

GF Handel (1685 – 1759)

Sonata in G major for flute and basso continuo HWV 363b

Adagio – Allegro – Adagio – Bourée Anglaise – Minuetto

CPE Bach (1714 – 1788)

Les Folies d’Espagne wq 118/9

Anon

Green Sleeves to a Ground, from the First Part of the Division Flute

(1701)

GP Telemann (1681 – 1767)

Trio Sonata for recorder, viola da gamba and basso continuo TWV

42:F3

Vivace – Mesto – Allegro

Interval

JS Bach (1685-1750)

Sonata in G major for viola da gamba and basso continuo BWV 1027

Adagio – Allegro ma non Troppo – Andante – Allegro Moderato

F Couperin (1668 – 1733)

Les Barricades Mystérieuses from Ordre 6ème de clavecin

CPE Bach

Trio sonata in F major for bass recorder and viola da gamba Wq 163

Un poco andante – Allegretto – Allegro

Anna Bon di Venezia (1738-after 1769)

Sonata in G minor Op. 1 No. 5 for flute and basso continuo

Allegro – Andante staccato – Allegro

REVIEW OF THE ROSAMUND BRASS QUARTET CONCERT on 20 December 2022

The four young people of The Rosamund Brass Quartet are Seb Williman cornet, Adam Hofland-Ward cornet, Georgia Woodhead tenor horn and Alex Barron euphonium. They are all students at the Royal Northern College of Music and appeared by the kind permission of that College.

This was the third concert in our series and what a concert this was, full of interesting music, some familiar and some new to the audience.

The concert began with Joel Kirk’s Scherzo Piccolo, this was originally a work for brass sextet before being arranged by the composer for Rosamund Brass, in many ways this piece is a homage to the late great Derek Bourgeois.running as one continuous movement, the piece is primarily comprised of both ‘Tango-’ and ‘March-’ influenced themes and also a ‘romanza’ theme (described by Alex as “cheesy!”) infused into one another.

I wouldn’t normally build a review around one piece of music, but in this case, I must really single out Jonathan Bates “This Is the Place”. It is in four parts I Sisterhood Pride, Moss Side evokes the Suffragette movement, II From the Sea, a rush wind blowing, Hulme ; this sounded very Pentecostal and I loved the lyricism of this section. III was Thunderdome, Miles Platting; with Acid House Music backing from the laptop, this was very exciting. But the most moving section was IV In Memoriam. This is the Place …Albert Square. The backing for this section was part of Tony Walsh’s wonderful poem This is the Place. I make no apology for quoting bits of it here:

“This is the place in the North West of England
It’s ace, it’s the best and the songs that we sing
From the stands, from our bands set the whole planet shaking
Our inventions are legends! There’s nowt we can’t make and

So we make brilliant music. We make brilliant bands
We make goals that make souls leap from seats in the stands
And we make things from steel and we make things from cotton
And we make people laugh, take the mick summat rotten”

The music was really an elegy for things past and in particular I thought of the 2017 Manchester Bombing and thinking of that was moved to tears.

“Because this is a place that has been through some hard times
Oppressions, recessions, depressions and dark times
But we keep fighting back with Greater Manchester spirit
Northern grit, northern wit in Greater Manchester’s lyrics

And there’s hard times again in these streets of our city
But we won’t take defeat and we don’t want your pity
Because this a place where we stand strong together
With a smile on our face, Mancunians Forever”

Discussing this at the interval with one of our members, his opinion was that this was the best piece of modern music that he has heard this year. I wholeheartedly agreed with him.

This was followed by Eric Ball’s “Jewels” and had a more traditional feel to it and then Karl Jenkins’ Hymn & Palladio, this was beautifully played and brought me down to earth again.

During the interval the audience enjoyed mince pies, wine and soft drinks and really entering into the Christmas spirit.

The second half opened with Blue by Thomas Ganach followed in swift succession by Mozart’s Andante from the Sonata for bassoon and cello arranged by Alex and played by Alex on the euphonium and Georgia on the tenor horn. Then Peter Graham’s A Capella Duets played by Seb and Adam on cornets, first “Energico”, then “Scoot” with euphonium and cornet. These short duets were written during lockdown in the 2020 pandemic and feature music from some of Peter Graham’s most famous works for brass band: and then a “Time for Love” with cornet and tenor horn. The duos ended with William Alwyn’s splendid Fugue on an Indian Scale, arranged by Alex.

This was followed by Joseph Horowitz’s Variations on a Theme of Paganini, being a set of variations on Paganini’s famous Caprice 24. The concert then became very Christmassy with Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, arranged by Alex, Robert Wells’ The Christmas Song arranged by Seb. The concert ended with Alex’s arrangement of Bizet’s Farandole, the 4th movement of the L’Arlesienne Suite and this was very much in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

The Rosamunds are to be congratulated on a thoughtful, interesting and moving programme of music. Their playing throughout was superb and I found them to be engaging and delightful personalities

CM

“EOS DUO” . Clarinet & Harp: Concert at 7.30 pm on 18th October 2022 at Boston Grammar School. There is ample parking in Rowley Road entrance, PE21 9QF. Tickets are £12, in advance or at the door. Children and Students have free entry. To order your ticket in advance phone Mrs V Robinson on 01205 366018 or email bostonconcertclub@gmail.com

PROGRAMME

Paul Reade – The Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite 

I: Prelude

II: Spring

III: Mists

IV: Exotica

V: Summer

Aaron Breeze – Aria

Roma Cafolla – Coastal Suite 

I: Onshore Breezes

II: Becalmed

III: Shoreline

IV: Restless Sea

V: Rolling Waves

Carlos Salzedo – Chanson dans la Nuit 

Béla Kovács – Hommage à J. S. Bach 

Béla Kovács – Hommage à De Falla

Paul Desmond arr. James Rae – Take Five

Laurel & Angharad – Jazz Improvisation

interval

Aaron Breeze – Adagio (World Premiere)

Tiberiu Olah – Sonata for Clarinet Solo 

Skalia Kanga – Six American Sketches 

I: The Lonesome Traveller

II: Running Waters

III: Solitude

IV: Grasshoppers

V: Night Stillness

VI: Country Fayre 

Uno Vesje – LIFE IS FLASHING BEFORE MY EYES AND I REALISE THAT IT ALL STARTED WITH A BLACKBIRD

Armando Ghidoni – Jazzy-Celtic Suite 

III: Interlude

IV: Celswing

Laurel & Angharad – Folk Improvisation

72nd Season 2022-2023

The new Season will begin on 18th October 2022. All concerts will take place at Boston Grammar School PE21 6JE and will begin at 7.30 pm

18th October 2022 “EOS DUO” Clarinet & Harp. (appearing by permission of the Royal Northern College of Music) Programme to include music by: Paul Reade, Roma Calfolla, Skaila Kanga and Aaron Breeze.

15th November 2022 “THE CALDERON DUO” Flute and Guitar. Programme to include music by Ibert, Villa Lobos, Eddie McGuire and Piazzola.

20th December 2022 “ROSAMUND BRASS QUARTET “(appearing by permission of the Royal Northern College of Music) Programme to include some Festive items.

17th January 2023 VICTOR LIM piano recital. Programme to include music by: Hayd, Chopin, Faure, Friderich Guoda.

21st February 2023 “PASSACAGLIA” an early music trio playing Baroque music. Programme to include music by: Telemann, Couperin, J S Bach, C P E Bach and “Greensleeves”

21st March 2023 LAURENCE PERKINS & JOHN FLINDERS Bassoon and Piano Programme to include music by Elgar, Pierne, Ravel, Ridout and Weber.

Full details of each concert to follow as and when more details are available.

NEW SEASON 2021/2022

Our new season which will be the 71st begins on 19th October 2021. Concerts will be held at the Grammar School in Boston and will begin at 7.30 pm.

19th October 2021 –THE TEMPEST FLUTE TRIO

16th November 2021 – GUITAR DUO From the Royal Northern College of Music

21st December 2021 – HEXACHORDIA an Early Music Ensemble

18th January 2022 – IDESTA SAXOPHONE DUO From the Royal Northern College of Music

15th February 2022 – ANTOINE PREAT – Piano NFMS Young Musician

15th March 2022 – ALKYONA STRING QUARTET