Alexander Goehr
(1932-2024)

Composer

Alexander Goehr, composer and teacher, was born in Berlin on 10 August 1932, son of the conductor Walter Goehr, and was brought to England in 1933.

Goehr is a towering cultural figure of the 20th and 21st centuries. His influence is far reaching from the early days in Manchester where, together with Harrison Birtwistle, Peter Maxwell Davies and John Ogdon he formed the New Music Manchester Group, studied with Messiaen, formed the Music Theatre Ensemble, taught at the New England Conservatory Boston, Yale, Leeds and Cambridge. He has influenced on countless artists and composers across the world and his music is beautifully crafted, deeply wrought, endlessly thought-provoking and a profound reflection on the modern psyche.

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“The combination of mystery and transparent musical language compels attention—as did the edgy, controlled performance—even as the core meaning remained a puzzle. This was one of the best kinds of musical experiences, where one wants to hear the music repeated and get closer to the mystery at the center. “

George Grella, New York Classical Review on

Verschwindendes Wort

(Vanishing Word)

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Jonathan Berman

Conductor

Jonathan Berman’s open-minded approach to music making is reflected in his impressively broad repertoire. Whether on stage, in front of cameras, writing a script or curating a concert programme, Jonathan derives his energy from his ability to engage with audiences. For him, unlocking the imagination is the key.

His live performances receive the highest acclaim and his recordings have been praised for his deep understanding for the repertoire.

Jonathan’s open-minded approach to music making is reflected in his impressively broad repertoire, including over 40 operas.  He is recognised for his thoughtfulness and insight. feeding into the creative ways in which he connects to his audiences, such as, the 9 award winning films he made on Bach, Satie, Stravinsky, Ravel and a documentary series called “Postcards From Vienna”.

A fearless advocate of contemporary music (with over 75 World Premieres), Jonathan is equally well versed in the music of the classical and Romantic periods, specialising in music from Vienna.  His recently released box set, “Franz Schmidt: The Symphonies” (BBC National Orchestra of Wales on the label Accentus Music celebrating the composer’s 150th anniversary) has won universal acclaim.

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“Berman’s commitment and enthusiasm, delivering playing of sensitivity and technical brilliance …” 5 Star

BBC Music Magazine Erik Levi, Feb 2024

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“perhaps the most convincing approach to the composer’s musical universe.” ]

Scherzo Pablo L. Rodríguez, Nov 2023

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Raphael Wallfisch

Violoncello

With a discography of over 70 discs Raphael Wallfisch is one of the most recorded classical artists in the world. A BBC survey named Wallfisch’s recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto the best recording of the work in the past 25 years. With concert appearances around the world, Wallfisch is at the height of his powers with a masterful technique and a soaring, singing sound that evokes a tradition continued from his teacher, Piatigorsky. Raphael Wallfisch has been at the forefront of playing and commissioning new works by contemporary composers, working with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Kenneth Leighton, James MacMillan, Rodion Schedrin, John Tavener and many others.

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Raphael Wallfisch’s commanding interpretation of Elgar’s Cello Concerto
The Strad

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Raphael Wallfisch is absolutely splendid, playing very eloquently and persuasively
MusicWeb International

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Amatis Trio

Piano Trio

The Amatis Trio was founded in 2014 and is based in Salzburg, Austria. The violinist Lea Hausmann, cellist Samuel Shepherd, and pianist Mengjie Han are celebrated for their energy, insight, creativity, communication and passion. The trio is regarded as one of the leading ensembles of its generation.

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“What a joy it is to play music! We feel lucky every day to be in a profession in which no finishing line exists. It allows us to continually push and explore until a new horizon appears. It’s our responsibility to convey the love we have for music to our audiences. When this music then touches our listeners we know we are travelling along the right path.”

Lea, Sam & Mengjie

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Stevie Wishart

Composer | Improviser

Stevie Wishart is an unique force amongst today’s truly creative artists.
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Stevie is a composer with her roots in improvisation and early music.  She is also a performer on the violin, and on the hurdy-gurdy, an instrument which gives an extraordinary “old-and-new” sound, which resonates in Stevie’s compositions.
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 Her 2019 BBC Proms commission was described as:

“The most flamboyant and mood-breaking of the pieces was Stevie Wishart’s “The Last Dance?” She juxtaposed string writing with the punch and heft of the “Glorification” scene from Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring with field recordings of the song of the endangered hooded grebe.” 
TheArtsDesk, BBC Proms

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Richard Causton

Composer

Richard Causton was born in 1971 in Whitechapel, east London. He first came to prominence as a composer at the age of 24 with The Persistence of Memory, which was premièred at London’s South Bank Centre by the London Sinfonietta under the direction of Oliver Knussen. The title comes from Salvador Dali’s famous ‘melting clocks’ painting and its sense of distorted time also derives from a personal experience dating back to 1989, when Causton became ill and delirious on a visit to southern India. At times the sound-world of this music seems almost electronic – a result of the combined sonorities of a prepared piano, harp, vibraphone and a microtonally tuned set of bells that Causton built especially for the piece.

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Andrew Zolinsky

Piano

Andrew Zolinsky’s style of programming and his individual interpretations have secured worldwide performances at many prestigious venues and festivals.  His work with living composers brings a vivid freshness, energy and passion to his interpretations of music from previous eras, performing at the major venues across the globe from New York to the Wigmore Hall and to the Venice Biennale, and from the BBC Symphony Orchestra to the London Sinfonietta.

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Andrew Zolinsky brilliantly dispatched [Unsuk Chin’s études] … had one marvelling at miracles of high-speed articulation.”
The Sunday Times, Paul Driver
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“Andrew Zolinsky … simply, he is a musician with a great gift. … his rendering [Feldman] holds up robustly and adds it’s own special slowness and gentleness … Zolinsky had made it clear in his other recital earlier that day what he was made of.”
Venice Biennale
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“Zolinsky’s virtuosity was at times incredible”
The Sunday Times

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Shaham Erez Wallfisch

Piano Trio

Hagai Shaham – violin
Arnon Erez – piano
Raphael Wallfisch – cello

“Hagai Shaham, Arnon Erez and Raphael Wallfisch have music running through their veins. They are one with the music and with each other…” Luister Magazine, April 2015
Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch was founded in 2009 and comprises three of the finest international instrumentalists performing today.

As a soloist Hagai Shaham has performed with the world’s leading orchestras, including the English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, RTE Symphony Orchestra and the Taipei, Singapore and Shanghai orchestras. In September 1990, Hagai Shaham and his duo partner, Arnon Erez, won the first prize at the ARD International Music competition in Munich in the Violin-Piano duo category leading to highly acclaimed recitals throughout the world and a duo partnership which continues to this day.

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Mark van de Wiel

Clarinet

“Mark van de Wiel’s performance of the solo version of Domaines (1961-8) proved a stunning tour de force. … van de Wiel’s equally outstanding virtuosity and musical understanding.”
Boulez Domaines 
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International, 2025 
 
The honour of the most touching playing of the evening fell to Mark van de Wiel. His achingly far-away sound laid a spell on the hall. 
Ivan Hewett, Daily Telegraph 2025
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Mark van de Wiel is long established as one of our leading clarinettists, appearing at major venues as a well-known soloist and chamber musician. Principal clarinet of the Philharmonia from 2000 to 2025, Mark is principal of the London Sinfonietta (since 2002) and previously of Welsh National Opera, the London Chamber Orchestra and Endymion. He has appeared as soloist with the Philharmonia (under conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Vladimir Ashkenazy,  Edward Gardner and John Wilson), the London Sinfonietta, and the LCO (including a solo appearance at La Scala, Milan).

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Philippe Graffin

violin

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