WYE VALLEY CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL 2011
In January 2011 the Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival returns for its 12th year with six concerts across the region. The festival is renowned for presenting music of international calibre in intimate venues, with a core of the same musicians returning year on year. Artists who return in 2011 having been at the original festival include the founder Daniel Tong, internationally recognised pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips, and Matthew Truscott, leader of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Other well-known artists returning include violinist Katharine Gowers and cellist Amy Norrington. New artists for 2011 include Guy Johnston, a BBC Young Musician of the Year, and Laura Samuel, founder member of the Belcea Quartet.
Highlights of this year’s festival include some of the greatest Viennese chamber works by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. There are also lesser-known treasures by Janacek and Enescu. Discovery Day at Treowen Manor on Saturday 15th January is a packed day of music, talks and and discussion with the festival musicians. The Lunchtime and Teatime concerts at Hellens Manor on Sunday 16th January include two rare works of kaleidoscopic virtuosity - Bartók's early gypsy-inspired Piano Quintet and Chausson's magnificent 'Concerto' for violin, piano and string quartet.
The festival began in 2000 when twenty musicians came to St Briavels Castle, most of them in their early twenties, recently graduated and at the start of their musical career. No one was to know that twelve years on they would still be returning to the area, year on year, now as well-known and respected names in the world of chamber music.
In 2008 the festival musicians took up residence in Treowen Manor after eight memorable years in St Briavels Castle. This year there will be more public performances in the extraordinary atmosphere of Treowen, where the audience can get incredibly close to the music in a crackling drawing-room atmosphere.
All of the events take place in small venues, where the atmosphere is ideal for chamber music. Therefore places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Tickets are available via the festival website: website www.wyevalleyfestival.com.
CONCERT DETAILS
Friday 7th January. St Briavels Church
6.00 pm Pre-concert talk on Schubert’s Fantasy in F minor by Richard Wigmore at St Briavels Castle
Janáček Sonata for Violin and Piano
Laura Samuel, Daniel Tong
Dvořák Terzetto in C, op.74
Laura Samuel, Florence Cooke, Tom Hankey
Martinů Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola
Laura Samuel, Tom Dunn
Schubert Fantasy in F minor for piano 4 hands, D.940
Simon Crawford-Phillips, Alasdair Beatson
Saturday 8th January. Treowen Manor, Monmouth
3.00 pm Pre-concert talk on Haydn op.17 by Richard Wigmore
Schubert Sonata (Duo) in A for Violin and Piano, D.574
Tom Hankey, Daniel Tong
Haydn String Quartet in C minor, op.17 no.4
Matthew Truscott, Tom Hankey, Tom Dunn, Robin Michael
Schubert Piano Trio in B flat, D.898
Florence Cooke, Robin Michael, Daniel Tong
Wednesday 12th January. Bishop’s Palace, Hereford
Beethoven Piano Trio in G, op.1 no.2
Sara Bitlloch, Amy Norrington, Daniel Tong
Enescu Piano Quartet in D minor, op.30
Ben Hancox, William Coleman, Robin Michael, Simon Crawford-Phillips
Dvořák Piano Quintet in A, op.81
Katharine Gowers, Ben Hancox, Jessica Beeston, Guy Johnston, Alasdair Beatson
Saturday 15th January. Treowen Manor, Monmouth
Discovery Day 11.30 am - 6.00 pm
Ticket includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day.
Hosted by Stephen Walsh. The First Viennese school, with readings of letters, discussions with musicians and complete performances of:
Beethoven Piano Trio in E flat, op.1 no.1
Katharine Gowers, Guy Johnston, Daniel Tong
Haydn Piano Trio in D minor, Hob XV:23
Matthew Truscott, Alice Neary, Tim Horton
Mozart String Quartet in F, K.590
Laura Samuel, Katharine Gowers, Jessica Beeston, Amy Norrington
Schubert Fantasy in C for Violin and Piano, D.934
Matthew Truscott, Simon Crawford-Phillips
Beethoven String Quartet in C sharp minor, op.131
Tom Hankey, Florence Cooke, William Coleman, Amy Norrington
Schubert String Quartet in A minor, D.804 (“Rosamunde”)
Laura Samuel, Florence Cooke, Tom Dunn, Robin Michael
Sunday 16th January. Hellens Manor, Much Marcle
12.00 Pre-concert talk on Bartók Piano Quintet by Stephen Walsh
Beethoven String Trio in C minor, op.9 no.3
Klara Hellgren, Jessica Beeston, Robin Michael
Bartók Piano Quintet
Laura Samuel, Tom Hankey, William Coleman, Alice Neary, Daniel Tong
Sunday 16th January. Hellens Manor, Much Marcle
3.00 pm Pre-concert talk on Chausson Concerto by Stephen Walsh
Mozart String Quintet in E flat, K.614
Klara Hellgren, Tom Hankey, Tom Dunn, Jessica Beeston, Alice Neary
Saint-Saëns Piano Quartet in B flat, op.41
Matthew Truscott, Tom Dunn, Robin Michael, Tim Horton
Chausson Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet
Katharine Gowers, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Klara Hellgren, Florence Cooke, Tom Dunn, Guy Johnston
The Artists:
Violin: Sara Bitlloch, Florence Cooke, Katherine Gowers, Ben Hancox, Tom Hankey, Klara Hellgren, Laura Samuel, Matthew Truscott
Piano: Alasdair Beatson, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Tim Horton, Daniel Tong
Viola: Jessica Beeston, William Coleman, Tom Dunn
Cello: Guy Johnston, Robin Michael, Alice Neary, Amy Norrington
Tickets: Available via our website www.wyevalleyfestival.com
Available on the door however our venues have limited capacity so advance booking is recommended.
info@wyevalleyfestival.com
www.wyevalleyfestival.com
Tickets for individual concerts (includes pre-concert talk) – £14 (plus £1.40 booking fee) when you book online. Tickets cost £15 for postal sales or tickets bought on the day.
Festival Ticket (all 5 concerts and talks) - £62
Discovery Day (includes lunch and refreshments) - £45
Hellens Day Ticket (both concerts and talks) - £20
Hellens Lunchtime Concert (includes talk) - £10 (plus £1 booking fee) when you book online or £11 for postal sales or tickets bought on the day. Student Tickets are £5, a Student Festival ticket is £23 and a Student Discovery Day ticket is £20.
Image Credits: Matthew Truscott, Coutesy of Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival