Three’s Company

Harmony Beyond Music: Three’s Company

A group of women composers resolving the piano-versus-strings tension at the heart of the piano trio. Clara Schumann broke a path for female musicians in 19th-century Germany as much more than a wife to her composer husband. Rebecca Clarke and Charlotte Sohy composed music of new-found freedom in early 20th-century England and France. Coming up to date, Cecilia McDowall encloses a tribute to music’s perpetual revolutionary Beethoven at the heart of her magical nocturne.

Taking place during Women’s History Month, join us to explore the piano trio through the lens of four truly exceptional women composers.

Three’s Company  is the latest instalment of ‘Harmony Beyond Music’, a series of chamber music concerts exploring themes of equality and diversity, performed by Reiko Fujisawa and friends, and presented by Peter Quantrill.

Reiko Fujisawa piano
Ofer Falk violin
Ursula Smith cello

With introductions and insights from Peter Quantrill.

Reiko Fujisawa (piano) fuses the sensibilities of a musician raised in the Far East who trained in the West. She has appeared at venues and festivals all over the UK and overseas including Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Kings Place, Stoller Hall, Brighton Festival and Hebden Bridge Piano Festival, and was a featured artist at the Japan 2001 Festival. Reiko has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and her recordings include an acclaimed CD of music by Bach, Beethoven and Schubert, which The Arts Desk found “irresistible”. Her recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations also received a glowing review from The Record Geijutsu, Japan’s equivalent to The Gramophone, describing it as an “unpretentious, clean and refreshing performance with a refined dignity”.

Born in Israel in 1967, Ofer Falk (violin) studied with the legendary pedagogue Ilona Feher in Tel-Aviv and later with Professor Dora Schwarzberg in Vienna. Ofer is an accomplished chamber musician: he was founder member and leader of the Schidlof Quartet (1994-2001) and the Falk Quartet (2001-2003), performing with such artists as Murray Perahia and Jack Brymer. He has frequently appeared as guest leader of the English Chamber Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Peter Quantrill (presenter) writes on music for Gramophone, Opera, The Strad and other specialist classical publications. His programme notes have been published by the Salzburg, Edinburgh and Cheltenham festivals, and by record labels including Delphian, Signum and Brilliant Classics. Peter reviews for The Arts Desk and BachTrack.

Join us for a drink! The bar is open before and after the performance.
Serving until 22:00.