Cancelled due to Covid-19
Wednesday 10 June 2020 10:30 am • Coffee concert
Artington String Quartet
Malcolm Allison: violin
Catherine Lett: violin
Emily Frith: viola
Jonathan Hennessey-Brown: cello
Popular Classics
Retiring collection in aid of Oakleaf
Provisional programme:
Mozart
A diversion
Greig
Norwegian dancse
Fauré
Pavanne
Schubert
Standchen
Elgar
TBA
and more
Biography:
Malcolm Allison: Violin 1
Malcolm studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His teachers included Igor Ozim, Felix Andriewsky and Yehudi Menuhin. He continued his studies at McGill University, Montreal with Mauricio Fuks for three years before returning to the Guildhall to complete his studies with David Takeno. He won the Dorothy Adams Prize in 1993 for String Quartet playing and the Maurice Warshaw Prize in 1994 for Sonata playing. He was also a finalist in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in 1991.
His chamber music teachers have included Hans Keller, Peter Norris, the Takacs Quartet and members of the Borodin Quartet. He has also participated in master classes with Robert Mann (Julliard Quartet), Robert Tree (Guaneri Quartet) and Sigmund Nissel (Amadeus Quartet).
Malcolm was the leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 1989 and Leader of the Montreal Chamber Players in 1991-2. As a freelance musician he has played with, amongst others, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the English Chamber Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the Academy of St.Martins in the Fields, the London Festival Orchestra, the Composer's Ensemble, Nigel Kennedy, the Lion King show, London Octave and the Guildhall Strings.
He performed as a soloist in the Bach Double Concerto on a tour of South America with the London Festival Orchestra. He recently toured China with the London Arte Chamber Orchestra and performed with them for Walt Disney Productions in London. Malcolm performed the Elgar Violin Concerto with the orchestra' I Maestri' in 2013 and leads the orchestra on a regular basis.
Malcolm's recordings include the solo violin in Mozart's ' Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola' , and in Corelli's ' Christmas Concerto' for Arte Nova Classics. He has also recorded all five of Tippet's String Quartets for Chandos.e.
Catherine Lett: Violin 2
Catherine studied with Mateja Marinkovic at the Purcell School. She took part in masterclasses with members of the Brodsky Quartet, Robert Cohen and Emmanuel Hurvitz.
She performed at the Purcell Room with the school orchestra. She also played with Sir Simon Rattle at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
She continued her studies with Jack Glickman at the Guildhall School of Music And Drama where her love of chamber music was born.
She received coaching from the Takacs Quartet and performed at St Martin in the Fields, London.
Whilst at Guildhall she also took part in masterclasses with Sylvia Rosenberg.
After completing her studies Catherine won a trial with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra whom she continued working with for several years. She embarked on a freelance career with the BSO, the CBSO, the English Sinfonia and the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Her leading and solo experience began with several Vivaldi Concerti (including the Four Seasons) with the Belmont Ensemble of London, Meditation from Thais with the City of Canterbury Symphony Orchestra and a tour of Europe leading the Pressburg Chamber Soloists playing Czardas by Monti among other things.
Other playing experiences include a performance at number 10 Downing Street and another at the Beckham’s wedding!
Her interest in music education started shortly after this and she began teaching in schools and helping to run arts workshops in schools with the Wildest Dreams Project and the Wigmore Hall Chamber Challenge.
In 2012 Catherine met the pianist Angela Zanders with whom she has been giving regular recitals around the UK since then.
Emily Frith: Viola
Emily studied with Amanda Denley at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Emily’s orchestral experience has included working with the RTE Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia (Birmingham Royal Ballet), English National Ballet, Dorset Opera, Bath Philharmonia, Thames Chamber Orchestra and Southern Pro Musica.
She has played in the West End and on tour with various shows including Carousel, Miss Saigon, Phantom of The Opera and South Pacific.
As a chamber musician Emily has played with various ensembles. Her television work has included Top of the Pops and the National Lottery Show. She has worked with artists such as Robbie Williams, Tindersticks, Starsailor, and Gary Barlow
Jonathan Hennessey-Brown: Cello
Jonathan Hennessey-Brown gained his musical education at Guildford Cathedral Choir, The Junior Academy of Music and the National Youth Orchestra. He graduated from the Royal College of Music with Honours in 1997.
Jonny held the second cello chair with Carl Rosa Opera Company for two years, and the principal cello chair in the Yucatan Symphony in Mexico for six. Since returning to the UK, he has worked with many orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Oxford Philarmusica, Bath Philharmonic and British Philharmonic Orchestra, and has had the privilege of working with musicians such as Placido Domingo, Renee Flemming, Evelyn Glennie. He performs regularly in London’s West End show The Lion King. He also played in the Drury Lane production of Oliver and in the 25th Anniversary Tour of Les Miserables.
Jonny was a member of the studio orchestra for live performances on ITV of the show “Pop star to Opera star” and has played live on radio 3’s “The Verb” with Ana Silvera. Solo performances include an appearance with The Wanted onFern Cotton’s Live Lounge show on Radio one