Last year, whilst teaching on a summer course for Bedfordshire Youth Opera, whose annual gala we will be hosting on 21st August, I met an exceptional young violist, Josh Law. With fellow students from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, he has created a flexible instrumental group, Off The Wall Ensemble. In this programme members of the group will be showcasing their talents with performances of Bridge and Shostakovich. Alongside these remarkable young musicians, we will also have the opportunity to hear another fine instrumentalist from even closer to home. Saxophonist Charles Smith is a young player whose skills have been almost exclusively developed by the instrumental teaching here in Luton. He is performing repertoire from his recent diploma exam, part of which submission requires him to write his own programme notes, which you will also be able to enjoy reading. This concert, I’m sure, will be a memorable celebration of young musical talent, enriching all our lives – and reminding and reassuring us that the future of art music in the UK is in very good hands!
Richard Sisson (Programme Planner)
Programme
Frank Bridge – Phantasy Piano Quartet H94
Phil Woods – Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ronald Binge – Concerto for Alto Saxophone
INTERVAL
Johann Sebastian Bach – Sonata in E-flat major (originally for flute) BWV 1031
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No.9 Op 117
Performers
- Seren-Ann Nickson & Damian Dobromirov (violins)
- William Lui & Josh Lucas (cellos)
- Josh Law (viola)
- Qiaolinger Feng (piano)
&
- Charles Smith (saxophone)
Click here for directions to venue