WYE VALLEY CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL 2011

In January 2011 the Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival returns for its 12th year with six concerts across the region. The festival is renowned for presenting music of international calibre in intimate venues, with a core of the same musicians returning year on year. Artists who return in 2011 having been at the original festival include the founder Daniel Tong, internationally recognised pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips, and Matthew Truscott, leader of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Other well-known artists returning include violinist Katharine Gowers and cellist Amy Norrington. New artists for 2011 include Guy Johnston, a BBC Young Musician of the Year, and Laura Samuel, founder member of the Belcea Quartet.

Highlights of this year’s festival include some of the greatest Viennese chamber works by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. There are also lesser-known treasures by Janacek and Enescu.  Discovery Day at Treowen Manor on Saturday 15th January is a packed day of music, talks and and discussion with the festival musicians. The Lunchtime and Teatime concerts at Hellens Manor on Sunday 16th January include two rare works of kaleidoscopic virtuosity - Bartók's early gypsy-inspired Piano Quintet and Chausson's magnificent 'Concerto' for violin, piano and string quartet.

The festival began in 2000 when twenty musicians came to St Briavels Castle, most of them in their early twenties, recently graduated and at the start of their musical career. No one was to know that twelve years on they would still be returning to the area, year on year, now as well-known and respected names in the world of chamber music.

In 2008 the festival musicians took up residence in Treowen Manor after eight memorable years in St Briavels Castle. This year there will be more public performances in the extraordinary atmosphere of Treowen, where the audience can get incredibly close to the music in a crackling drawing-room atmosphere.

All of the events take place in small venues, where the atmosphere is ideal for chamber music. Therefore places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.  Tickets are available via the festival website: website  www.wyevalleyfestival.com.

CONCERT DETAILS 

Friday 7th January. St Briavels Church
6.00 pm Pre-concert talk on Schubert’s Fantasy in F minor by Richard Wigmore at St Briavels Castle

Janáček Sonata for Violin and Piano
Laura Samuel, Daniel Tong

Dvořák Terzetto in C, op.74 
Laura Samuel, Florence Cooke, Tom Hankey

Martinů Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola
Laura Samuel, Tom Dunn

Schubert Fantasy in F minor for piano 4 hands, D.940
Simon Crawford-Phillips, Alasdair Beatson

Saturday 8th January. Treowen Manor, Monmouth
3.00 pm Pre-concert talk on Haydn op.17 by Richard Wigmore

Schubert Sonata (Duo) in A for Violin and Piano, D.574 
Tom Hankey, Daniel Tong

Haydn String Quartet in C minor, op.17 no.4 
Matthew Truscott, Tom Hankey, Tom Dunn, Robin Michael

Schubert Piano Trio in B flat, D.898
Florence Cooke, Robin Michael, Daniel Tong

Wednesday 12th January. Bishop’s Palace, Hereford 

Beethoven Piano Trio in G, op.1 no.2 
Sara Bitlloch, Amy Norrington, Daniel Tong

Enescu Piano Quartet in D minor, op.30
Ben Hancox, William Coleman, Robin Michael, Simon Crawford-Phillips

Dvořák Piano Quintet in A, op.81
Katharine Gowers, Ben Hancox, Jessica Beeston, Guy Johnston, Alasdair Beatson

Saturday 15th January. Treowen Manor, Monmouth 

Discovery Day 11.30 am - 6.00 pm 

Ticket includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

Hosted by Stephen Walsh. The First Viennese school, with readings of letters, discussions with musicians and complete performances of:

Beethoven Piano Trio in E flat, op.1 no.1
Katharine Gowers, Guy Johnston, Daniel Tong

Haydn Piano Trio in D minor, Hob XV:23
Matthew Truscott, Alice Neary, Tim Horton

Mozart String Quartet in F, K.590
Laura Samuel, Katharine Gowers, Jessica Beeston, Amy Norrington

Schubert Fantasy in C for Violin and Piano, D.934 
Matthew Truscott, Simon Crawford-Phillips

Beethoven String Quartet in C sharp minor, op.131
Tom Hankey, Florence Cooke, William Coleman, Amy Norrington

Schubert String Quartet in A minor, D.804 (“Rosamunde”)
Laura Samuel, Florence Cooke, Tom Dunn, Robin Michael

Sunday 16th January. Hellens Manor, Much Marcle

12.00 Pre-concert talk on Bartók Piano Quintet by Stephen Walsh

Beethoven String Trio in C minor, op.9 no.3
Klara Hellgren, Jessica Beeston, Robin Michael

Bartók Piano Quintet
Laura Samuel, Tom Hankey, William Coleman, Alice Neary, Daniel Tong

Sunday 16th January. Hellens Manor, Much Marcle 

3.00 pm Pre-concert talk on Chausson Concerto by Stephen Walsh

Mozart String Quintet in E flat, K.614
Klara Hellgren, Tom Hankey, Tom Dunn, Jessica Beeston, Alice Neary

Saint-Saëns Piano Quartet in B flat, op.41
Matthew Truscott, Tom Dunn, Robin Michael, Tim Horton

Chausson Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet 
Katharine Gowers, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Klara Hellgren, Florence Cooke, Tom Dunn, Guy Johnston

The Artists:

Violin: Sara Bitlloch, Florence Cooke, Katherine Gowers, Ben Hancox, Tom Hankey, Klara Hellgren, Laura Samuel, Matthew Truscott 
Piano: Alasdair Beatson, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Tim Horton, Daniel Tong 
Viola: Jessica Beeston, William Coleman, Tom Dunn 
Cello: Guy Johnston, Robin Michael, Alice Neary, Amy Norrington

Tickets:  Available via our website  www.wyevalleyfestival.com

Available on the door however our venues have limited capacity so advance booking is recommended.
info@wyevalleyfestival.com 
www.wyevalleyfestival.com 

Tickets for individual concerts (includes pre-concert talk) – £14 (plus £1.40 booking fee) when you book online. Tickets cost £15 for postal sales or tickets bought on the day.

Festival Ticket (all 5 concerts and talks) - £62
Discovery Day (includes lunch and refreshments) - £45
Hellens Day Ticket (both concerts and talks) - £20
Hellens Lunchtime Concert (includes talk) - £10 (plus £1 booking fee) when you book online or £11 for postal sales or tickets bought on the day. Student Tickets are £5, a Student Festival ticket is £23 and a Student Discovery Day ticket is £20.

Image Credits: Matthew Truscott, Coutesy of Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival

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