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The Music Society`s latest concert on Friday 17th April featuring Wind Players from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama might have given the impression that this was to be a recital given by "students" and consequently not as polished as one might expect from full professional musicians. However,nothing could be further from the truth as these youngsters, mostly in their third year at college, have already behind them, a great many accolades and performing experience, and this was amply demonstrated when they played for us.

Starting with the Mozart Eflat Quintet for piano and winds we heard a very polished performance throughout the three movements with delightful interplay between all five instruments bringing to life the charm and grace of what was one of Mozart`s own most cherished compositions.

In a change from the published programme the next item was the ever popular Sonata for flute and piano FP 164 by Francis Poulenc. Finished in 1957,this is a captivating work written for the celebrated French flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, and requires lyricism and extreme sensitivity from the two players together with a formidable technique especially in the final " prestissimo" movement. These qualities we had in abundance from the superb flautist and equally talented Japanese pianist who gave non stop sterling work throughout the concert.

Finally, another work by Poulenc, the Sextet for Piano and Wind FP100 brought all six players together. Requiring great virtuosity, expressiveness and general "Joie de vivre" throughout, it also needs enough energy left over to play another "prestissimo" in the Stravinsky inspired Finale!

This our young players achieved with aplomb and were rewarded with well deserved applause for providing yet another splendid concert in our series.

P.B.

Wind Players from Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Ruth Harrison, Corinne Ellul, Charlotte Bartley, Matthew Horn and Cerys Ambrose Evans play together regularly in a wind quintet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. For this concert, they have collaborated with Guildhall pianist, Misa Saka, to present a colourful programme of Mozart, Liebermann and Poulenc.

Corinne Ellul, born in Sydney Australia, began learning the oboe with the guidance of her father at the age of nine. After playing principal oboe and cor anglais with the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain and Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra, Corinne was accepted into the Purcell School in 2011 on a Government Music and Dance Scheme Scholarship, where she studied under the direction of Melanie Ragge. She is currently studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she was awarded a Scholarship from the Edward Selwyn Memorial Fund, and is studying under the tuition of Nicholas Daniel.

Matthew Horn is currently studying the horn with David Pyatt on a scholarship at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Matthew has performed in prestigious venues, such as the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms (broadcast live on radio 3), as well as Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, The Barbican, Milton Court, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Colston Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall. Matthew is an active chamber musician, recently performing in Regent Hall with Stratus Brass (also performing in Guildford on 15th May 2015). At the start of this year, Matthew toured over 8 cities in China as fourth horn with Kent Sinfonia, as well as touring the UK as fourth horn with the Orion Orchestra - performing with Rick Wakeman’s ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’.

Misa Saka, born in Tokyo, began her piano studies with Megumi Mogi at the age of five at the Toyo Eiwa Kindergarden. In August 2006, she moved to London with her family. And attended the Junior Royal Academy of Music, where she studied with Timothy Barratt, from 2007-2012. Misa is currently studying on a scholarship with Joan Havill at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She gave her first piano solo recital at St George’s Parish Church when she was 16 years old, and since then has performed as a soloist at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, and Duke’s Hall. At the Junior Academy, she was chosen to participate in a master class given by Martino Tirimo for Chopin’s bicentennial. In February 2011, she won first prize in Iris Dyer Piano Prize Competition (Senior Class) at Junior Academy. Every year since she came to England, she has participated in the Cadenza International Music summer course and the North London Piano School at the Purcell School. Both these involved taking part in chamber music sessions and masterclasses. The latter have included working with Christopher Elton, Julian Jacobson, William Fong, Michael Schreider, Andrew Haigh, and Ruth Harte.