Cornish violinist Anna Brigham and Scottish pianist Brendan Musk promise a spellbinding blend of traditional and original pieces inspired by both classical and folk music. Their fresh and innovative perspective on Celtic folk traditions has earned critical acclaim, with Classic FM describing them as “an eclectic bonanza”. Their programme for us will be an innovative and very interesting interleaving of their own compositions and arrangements with the movements of Dvořák’s Sonatina in G major, Op.100 in the first half of the concert, and four of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances after the interval.
Pianist Euan Stevenson and saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski are two of the UK’s leading musicians, with achievements on both sides of the Atlantic and experience in pop and classical music as well as jazz. Their latest project ‘The Classical Connection’ has earned five-star reviews for its exploration of the influence classical composers have exerted on jazz musicians. In this superbly well-informed, entertaining and informal presentation Euan and Konrad improvise a Bach-style reinvention and an arrangement of the Duke Ellington Orchestra’s theme tune, Take the A Train, in the style of a Mozart Sonata. Audiences will discover why romantic composers like Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Duke Ellington all loved the same key. They can also learn why Miles Davis and Eric Satie were kindred spirits, and hear brilliantly performed jazz standards and original compositions.
American-born violinist Benjamin Shute has performed across North America, Europe, and Asia as a soloist in concertos, chamber musician, and leader of ensembles including the Boston Chamber Orchestra. He was a finalist for the 2023 American Prize in chamber music composition. Ben is currently living in Scotland and teaching at St Andrews University. Ben will be joined by Malaysian harpsichordist Anastasia Abu Bakar. They will perform the Scottish premiere of Ben’s own composition Sinfonia ‘Magnum Mysterium’ as well as pieces by Handel and Corelli, plus arrangements of four British folk songs by Anastasia.
Jennifer Brown (clarinet), Harriet Davidson (cello) andClaire Haslin (piano) have performed together for over fifteen years. All three hail from Scotland. Last season’s programme of works by female composers – Clara Schumann, Farrenc, Tailleferre and Walker – was very well received by other Scottish music societies. In addition to their chamber music commitments, they each pursue busy and diverse freelance careers, including delivering workshops and masterclasses. Their Dunfermline programme will include Mozart’s Trio K498 in E flat major, Fauré’s Trio in D minor Op.120 and works by Nadia Boulanger and Germaine Tailleferre, but will start with a new, as yet untitled, commission from Scottish composer Helen Leach, which the Trio Ecossaise will be the first to perform. Our concert will probably be the world premiere! Helen’s music is very beautiful and pastoral in style. You can hear works of hers similar to the Trio she is writing at the moment in the recently-released album at this link.
Neil Mantle MBE founded Scottish Sinfonia in 1970 and has remained their conductor ever since. He studied horn at the Royal Academy of Music and subsequently at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and maintained a successful freelance career for many years. Neil is bringing a horn-playing colleague and four string players from Scottish Sinfonia in a programme that includes Beethoven’s Sextet for Horns and String Quartet Op.81b and Mozart’s ‘Musical Joke’ K522.
trumpet, French horn, trombone
Emily Stokes, Peter McNeill and Jordan Fairley are a vibrant and innovative ensemble formed in 2021 by graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Originally created as a way of expressing themselves further as musicians, the trio has grown and developed into an established chamber group, with an emphasis on promoting brass playing within the community. The ensemble’s ethos is to make music accessible to all audiences, with an ever-expanding repertoire that spans 400 years. Taking part in collaborative projects with varying art forms and artists, they are able to introduce audiences to new pieces, and to the seldom-heard brass trio format of trumpet, French horn and trombone.
