The RHC Concerts Patron: Julian Lloyd Webber FRCM
The generous support of
The Bowerman Charitable Trust
Dunard Fund
Peregrine Bryant
The Sloane Club
is gratefully acknowledged
Welcome to The RHC Concerts 2010
Welcome to the 2010 series of concerts at The Royal Hospital Chelsea which include debut appearances by the outstanding classical accordionist Ksenija Sidorova and prize winning guitarist Milos Karadaglic, the exciting young Badke Quartet and the acclaimed Schubert Ensemble, plus a welcome return of London Conchord Ensemble and The Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital.
Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1692 the Royal Hospital has changed little in its long history. From its distinctive red brick exterior to its beautifully designed interiors the Royal Hospital remains a remarkable and historical building.
The RHC Concerts are presented in The Council Chambers of the State Apartments and in The Chapel, offering the opportunity to enjoy music of excellence in this unique and wonderful setting which is the home of the Chelsea Pensioners.
Now firmly established in London's musical calendar The RHC Concerts continue to showcase the talents of both internationally renowned musicians and gifted young artists and, in the closing concert of this 7th international series, both are represented in a performance of Bach's magnificent Mass in B Minor - one of the greatest musical works ever written.
Wednesday 29 September - State Apartments
The Badke Quartet
Haydn String Quartet in D minor Op 76 No 2 "The Fifths"
Dvorak String Quartet no 12 in F. op 96
Interval
Mendelssohn String Quartet No 2 in A minor Op 13
The Badke Quartet, formed in 2002, is widely recognised as one of Britain's finest string quartets. Winners of the 1st prize and audience prize at the 5th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition in 2007, the Badke Quartet has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and vibrant performances.
The Quartet has worked with some of the world's greatest string quartets and all four musicians are graduates of London's Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music. They regularly study with Gabor Takács-Nagy at IMS Prussia Cove and during 2006-08 they travelled once a month for a period of intensive study at the Alban Berg Quartet's chamber music class in Cologne. From 2005 to 2009 the Quartet held the Senior Leverhulme Chamber Music Fellowship at the RAM.
This season the Quartet will perform across the UK and Ireland, as well as in Norway and Spain and in August makes its début at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Wednesday 13 October - State Apartments
Ksenija Sidorova classical accordion
Milos Karadaglic guitar
Ksenija Sidorova and Milos Karadaglic present a programme of duo and solo pieces including works by Bach, Scarlatti, Barrios, Jan Thrular, Peter Fiala and Villa-Lobos.
Classical accordionist Ksenija Sidorova was born in Latvia in 1988. Since 2005 she has been studying as an undergraduate at the Royal Academy of Music in London, with Professor Owen Murray. Ksenija is a winner of international competitions in Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Italy. Recent engagements include a performance with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, a recital in Colston Hall (Bristol), performance in Spitalfields Festival and DMCE symposium (Dramaturgie Musicale Conteporaine en Europe, Paris) performance of Prokofiev's Cantata for the 20th Anniversay of the October Revolution op74 with Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre and CBSO under Valery Gergiev. In June 2009 Ksenija was invited by Dame Felicity Lott to appear in her Carte Blanche in the programme Un Mardi idéal on Radio France Musique.
Guitarist Milos Karadaglic was born in Montenegro in 1983 and started playing the guitar at the age of 8. He has won many top prizes in competitions and has established himself as one of the most promising young musical talents. Milos was the first ever guitarist to win the Prince's Prize - a music prize of HRH Prince of Wales and a Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Other awards include the Julian Bream Prize adjudicated by the maestro himself. Milos has given many solo and chamber music recitals both in this country and abroad.
Wednesday 27 October - The Chapel
London Conchord Ensemble
Beethoven Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat Op 16
Weber Trio for Piano, Flute and Cello Op 63
Interval
Brahms Horn Trio in E flat Op 40
London Conchord Ensemble is a flexible ensemble of internationally recognised young soloists, chamber musicians and principals from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Opera House Orchestra, the Philharmonia and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Based in London, the ensemble explores both the traditional and contemporary repertoire of chamber music written for combinations of strings, wind and piano.
Following their critically acclaimed debut at the Wigmore Hall in October 2002 the ensemble has continued to perform extensively throughout the UK, Europe and North America. Highlights of recent seasons include performances at Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival, Dusseldorf Tonhalle, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux Arts, Niedersachsen Musik Festival and tours of Ireland, France and America.
Conchord has received wide critical acclaim for their recordings on the Sanctuary Classics/ASV, Black Box and Quartz labels and regularly appear on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM.
Wednesday 10 November - The Chapel
Schubert Ensemble
Josef Suk Elégie for Piano, Violin and Cello Op 23
Louise Farrenc Piano Quintet No 1 in A minor
Interval
Schubert Piano Quintet in A D.667 The Trout
The Schubert Ensemble has established itself over 27 years as one of the world's leading exponents of music for piano and strings. Regularly giving over 50 concerts a year, the Ensemble has performed in over 40 different countries. In 1998 the Ensemble's contribution to British musical life was recognized by the Royal Philharmonic Society when it presented the group with the Best Chamber Ensemble Award.
Their current season has included performances in the Czech Republic, Norway, Gibraltar, Spain, Holland, Canada and the USA, as well as appearances across the UK. Their major overseas tour this year is to China, the Ensemble's first visit to this country, with concerts in the Shanghai and Beijing areas.
Wednesday 24 November - The Chapel
The Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital
Ian Curror director
Katy Hill soprano
Julia Doyle soprano
Ben Williamson countertenor
Nathan Vale tenor
David Stout bass
The Wren Players
Bach Mass in B Minor
Bach's monumental Mass in B Minor is one of the greatest works in the choral repertoire and was composed by Bach at various stages of his life. He is known to have considered it a particularly significant work in his output and it is certainly a powerful musical experience, embodying an early Lutheran Missa of 1733 and much later expansion.
Ian Curror has, since 1974, been Organist of the Royal Hospital and also pursues a busy career as an international recitalist, accompanist and teacher.
The Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital has built an enviable reputation as one of the finest church choirs in London and is greatly in demand for special services and events and has sung on television and radio. It is proud of its association with the Wren Players, a group of some of London's best instrumentalists - 18 of whom will be performing this evening - whose visits to the Royal Hospital are always special occasions.
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