Author: leonora

 My latest recording has just been released on Blue Cloud, a new Orchid Classics label. If you’d like to listen to it you can find all the streaming links here. The new album consists of sixteen very beautiful romantic nocturnes by different composers together with a postlude (Lantern) written specially for the album by Howard Skempton.  I hope this selection will have the same appeal as my two albums of piano Love Songs, which have now clocked up over 15 million streams between them. Please pass on the details to anyone you think might like this. Many thanks, William

William Howard – 16 Nocturnes and a LanternListen to 16 Nocturnes and a Lantern by William Howard.

‘Very, very skilfully and intelligently programmed’ Katy Hamilton, BBC Record Review Saturday 18^th May

‘Katy Hamilton loves the way William Howard leads us through this recital. It’s beautifully designed…’ Andrew McGregor, BBC Record Review Saturday 18^th May

(Full review at 34.00 minutes into this link)

www.williamhoward.co.uk

William Howard PianoHomepage for the official website of William Howard, one of Britain’s leading pianists

Tuesday 11th June – Masterclasses with William Howard being held in Stoke Bishop, organised by Mark. Just one place available. Please notify Mark as soon as possible if you would like to attend.

Monday August 26th – Masterclasses with  Dr Alton Chan, being organised by Leonora .

Tuesday August 27th – Private Lessons with  Dr Alton Chan, being organised by Leonora. 

Sunday November 10th  Masterclasses with Helen Reid being held ín Failand, being organised by Mark.

Details are being finalised at present and more information will be made available soon.

Our first meeting held at an outside venue was a great success.

We were able to accommodate everyone who wanted to come and the playing was first class with a very interesting and varied programme. The timing worked well too. We started just after 11.15 hrs, had a break for lunch and everyone had played their pieces by 14.30, so that left some time for some people to play again and we finished at around 15.00hrs.

A big thank you to everyone who came along to support this new venture.

Some feedback from members.

“excellent venue” “catering very smooth” “nice piano” “comfy seats” “plenty of space”

Steve B. – Beethoven: Sonata C minor Op 13 “Pathetique”, 3rd movement Op 13.

Chris – Beethoven: Sonata C minor Op 13 “Pathetique”, 2nd movement

Simon – Billy Mayerl: Shallow Waters  

Anne K – Chopin: Nocturne, Op 37 No 1 

Steve W – Tchaikovsky: Valse Sentimentale

Matthew – Chopin: Prelude in C sharp minor, Op 45

Matthew – Stars, from Les Miserables

Heather – Copland: Scherzo Humoristique, “Le Chat et la Souris”

Jean – Bach: Capriccio from Partita 2, and John Ireland: Ragamuffin

Heather & Jean – Amy Beach: Brownies and Katy-dids (duets from Summer Dreams)

Fergus – Bach: Prelude in C BWV924; Prelude in D minor BWV926

Peter – Debussy: Des pas sur la neige; Les collines d’Anacapri

Richard – Chopin: Polonaise in C sharp minor, Op 26 No.1.

Mark – John Ireland: April

Mark – Peter Sculthorpe: Stars, from Night Pieces

Ret – Schubert: Piano Sonata in E flat D.568 Op 122, IV Allegro moderato

Kay – Bach: Sarabande from Partita No1 in B flat 

Nancy – Haydn: Sonata in C, Hob.XVI:50, 2nd movement

Fran – Nikki Iles, East Coast Blues

Tuesday 11 June 2024, 10:30–16:00
Stoke Bishop, Bristol (venue details provided on booking)
Fee: £45, (inc. contribution to Club insurance costs)
Lunch: participants should bring a packed lunch

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Join other Bristol Piano Club members for an informal masterclass to be led by William Howard, one of Britain’s leading classical pianists.

Up to eight places are available for pianists who will perform a piece of prepared repertoire. The teaching sessions will be approximately 30 minutes long per pianist, and will focus on interpretation, performance, and technique, but all participants are welcome to offer other topics for discussion during the day.

William Howard (see https://www.williamhoward.co.uk/biography) has a wide range of musical interests and repertoire, and in particular is passionate about 19th century piano repertoire, especially Schubert, Chopin, Schumann and Fauré. He also has a strong interest in Czech piano music and has been particularly acclaimed for his performance of Janáček. He has recorded over 40 CDs as a soloist or chamber musician.

To book a place or for further details, contact Club member Mark Ware at mark@markwareconsulting.com or 07973 824378.

(NB, the fee shown assumes 8 participants; it may need to be varied slightly depending on the final numbers, and will be confirmed as soon as numbers are known)

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CHRIST CHURCH,

BROAD STREET, BRISTOL CITY, BS1 2EJ

A piano recital given by

BRENDA McDERMOTT

Wednesday, 17th April, 2024 at 1.10pm

Music by Frederic Chopin, (1810 – 1849)

Grande Valse Brillante, Op 34 No.1 in A flat

Berceuse, Op 57 in D flat

Etude, Op 10 No.12 in C minor “Revolutionary”

Fantasie Impromptu, Op 66

Nocturne, Op 9 No.2 in E flat

Scherzo, Op 31 No.2 in B flat minor

Brenda McDermott started her career early, playing for BBC radio and appearing on television while still at school. She developed her skills at the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying under Harold Craxton and Max Pirani.

While still a student Brenda met and married the established pianist Denis Matthews, and together they became known for their partnership in four-hand duets and two piano duets and concertos. They worked with many of the world’s finest orchestras, establishing a particular relationship with the London Symphony Orchestra, and had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with performers from many disciplines, including a memorable performance of the Carnival of the Animals narrated by Johnnie Morris.

Her first solo Wigmore Hall recital confirmed her place as one of the country’s most versatile and articulate pianists, with a highly-praised programme ranging from early Beethoven to Stravinsky. Her ability to cope with the most technically demanding and emotionally complex of pieces drew the attention of Tyne Tees Television, for whom she recorded three highly-regarded series of recitals.

She shows an obvious affinity for the Viennese classics and the romantic virtuoso composers, especially notable in her performances of Liszt’s B minor Sonata and the Brahms concertos, and while touring Latin America won particular praise for her performance of Chopin. A review in the Scotsman said her approach to Chopin was “more poetic than many of her Warsaw trained contemporaries”.

In next Wednesday’s recital, here on 24th April at 1.10p.m.,

VICTORIA ZGOLKA (Violin)(aged 16) &

JAMES WILLSHIRE (Piano) (Stars of the Future Series)

will play Mozart Sonata in E minor, and Wieniawski ‘Fantaisie Brillante sur Faust’

Admission free Retiring Collection

(Coffee and tea are available before and after the recital.

Chris – Beethoven: Sonata in C minor Op.13 “Pathétique”, 2nd movement
Anne K – Jennifer Bowman: Nocturne
Leonora – Beethoven: Sonata in C sharp minor Op.27 No.2 “Moonlight”, 1st movement
Graham and Kirsty – Peter Warlock: Basse Danse, Pavane, Pieds-en-l’air from Capriol Suite
Kirsty – Debussy: Pagodes
Kay – J S Bach: Prelude from Partita No.1 in B flat
Steve – J S Bach: Toccata E minor BMV 914
Peter – Chopin: Mazurka in A minor Op 59 No 1
Simon S – Charles Ancliffe: Sorrento
Jean W – Walter Niemann: Evening in Seville
Jean W – Malcolm Arnold: The Buccaneer
Kathryn – Prokofiev: Harp Prelude Op.12 No.7
Stefanie – Ludovico Einaudi: Nuvole Bianche
Simon H – H. Okumura: Ondo no Funata

Many thanks to Chris and Karen for hosting a wonderful meeting and thanks to everyone that came for their very enjoyable musical and culinary contributions.

Next meeting – Saturday 20th April – 11.00 hrs at Henleaze United Reform Church BS9 4BT.