The Grand Finale of the 2009/2010 Enescu Society Concert season presents the Schubert Ensemble, one of Britain's finest (The Evening Standard). The concert will take place in the presence of Mr Horia-Roman Patapievici, President of the Romanian Cultural Institute and President of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC).
Programme: F. Schubert - String Trio movement in B flat D.471 G. Enescu - Piano Quartet No.1 in D Op.16 J. Brahms - Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor Op.25
The Schubert Ensemble is: Simon Blendis - violin Douglas Paterson - viola Jane Salmon - cello William Howard - piano
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.
2009 saw a busy international schedule, with performances in the Czech Republic, Norway, Gibraltar, Spain, Holland, Canada and the USA, as well as appearances across the UK. The Ensemble released two new recordings for the Chandos label, of works by Martinu and Fauré, both of which have received wide critical acclaim. Its Finding Fauré Festival at London's King's Place was a critical and popular success, and will be followed there in June of this year with another four-day Festival, Saint-Saens' Paris, part of which will be broadcast by BBC Radio3.
This autumn will see the start of a three-concert series at Wigmore Hall featuring the music of George Enescu, which continues into 2011, as does their involvement with the Leeds International Concert Series, whose 2010-11 season has been curated by the Ensemble with a Viennese theme. The major overseas tour this year will be to China in October, the Ensemble's first visit to this country, with concerts in the Shanghai and Beijing areas.
Alongside its busy concert schedule, the Ensemble has established a reputation for innovation in the field of new music, education and audience development. This year will see the Ensemble continue its Residency at the Birmingham Conservatoire, as well as giving workshops and masterclasses around the country. The Ensemble has built up strong relationships with many of the UK's leading composers, and has an impressive list of over 80 commissions. In June of last year the Ensemble gave the world premiere of a piano quintet by Jonathan Dove at the Spitalfields Festival, and this year sees the premiere of a new piano quartet by Joe Cutler at the Cheltenham Festival in July.
In the recording studio the Ensemble has produced over 30 critically acclaimed CDs of works by Schubert, Schumann, Hummel, Dohnányi, Judith Weir, John Woolrich, Fauré, Korngold, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Louise Farrenc, César Franck, Elgar, Martin Butler, Piers Hellawell, Vaughan Williams and Martin?. It has appeared on TV and radio in many countries and is familiar to British audiences through regular broadcasts on BBC Radio 3.
The Enescu Society was established by the Romanian Cultural Institute in 2007 under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Margarita of Romania.
The Institute runs the Enescu Society Concerts Season from October to June, on the first Thursday of each month. The concert stage of the Institute hosts outstanding musicians performing George Enescu's music alongside an international repertoire.
From September 2009 the Romanian Cultural Institute awards the Enescu Society sholarship to a student at the Royal Academy of Music.
When: Thursday, 1 July 2010, 7-9 pm;
Where: Romanian Cultural Institute, London
Admission is free, but places are limited. Early booking is well recommended.
Please reserve your seats at T: 020 7752 0134, E: office@icr-london.co.uk.
Latecomers will be admitted at the interval.
