Music Chamber

Suite for Clarinet Trio – Aleksandr Grigori Arutiunian (b. 1920)

Introduction ~ Scherzo ~ Dialog ~ Finale 

 

The work of the Armenian composer and pianist Arutiunian is not well-known among audiences. However, this work exemplifies that his music has an undeniable value. Arutiunian creates a dualism between Classical and Romantic elements, as well as a spontaneous and improvisatory approach in this composition, reflecting Armenia's cultural heritage, and revealing the national melodic style and the energy of its rhythms. Here we see his preservation of Classical sequences of contrasting movements and the sung tradition, based on freely varied development, is also present. His lyrical idiom is rooted in a specific national melodic character, while the Romantic side of his sensibility finds expression in an emotional radicalism and a predominantly lyrical impulse, producing melodies that are at once expressive, sentimental, nostalgic and ironic. It is possible to appreciate how Classical forms and Romantic harmonic patterns are employed in balanced combination. This clarinet trio is a taste of very Gypsyish, Russian, and Armenian colourful sounds.

 

L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) -  Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

1. Soldier’s March 2. The soldier’s violin 3. Little concert

4. Tango – Valse – Rag  5. Devil’s dance

 

This is an early theatrical work by the Russian composer Stravinsky, although as early as 1910 he had achieved fame with his ballet The Firebird and notoriety with The Rite of Spring in 1913.  It is based on a Russian folk tale about a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil and was written in 1918 for an ensemble of seven musicians plus three actors and a dancer. A year later it was arranged as a concert suite for clarinet, violin and piano.

 

Encore: Overture from Clarinet Trio Suite. Op.157b, Darius Milhaud

 

The Dukas Trio takes it's name from a French composer best known for his score used in the Walt Disney film Fantasia.

 

Born in Chiba Japan, Since 2009 Akiko Tominaga has studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Andrew Ball. In 2005, she was invited to perform Schumann Piano Quintet E flat major with Cherry Blossom Quartet at Kameria Hall in Tokyo. In the summer of 2005, she participated in Ost West Musikfest in Krems, Austria and was chosen to perform at a Concert for Talented Young Musicians. In 2006, Akiko performed the world première of Grand Duo composed by an Austrian composer/pianist, Thomas Hlawatsch  at a Contemporary Music Concert in Vienna.

 

Rachael Chesney was born in Newcastle and is also studying at RCM. Rachael has performed at the Sage Gateshead including a performance with a wind quintet celebrating the opening which was televised on the BBC Culture Show. Rachael also played the Brahms trio which was recorded and broadcasted on Radio 2 in a programme presented by Howard Goodall. Rachael has won awards at several festivals, also performing as soloist as a member of the Tosca Trio and as Principle Clarinet in the RCM Sinfonietta. Rachael is currently working as an RCM Sparks presenter introducing Orchestral music and Opera Matinees to children in Primary schools and is a workshop assistant in a Rhythm for Life project working with older adults.

 

Born in Ciutadella de Menorca (Spain), in 2004 Francina Moll Salord moved to Barcelona where she studied at Oriol Martorell Music Centre, achieving the highest marks both in violin and chamber music, and performing with two important youth orchestras in Catalonia. Francina was one of the chosen students by Oriol Martorell to represent Spain in Graz (Austria), in a Project organized by UE which had internacional musicians of all UE countries in various concerts.  In 2006, Francina was given a scholarship to study at the Purcell School inLondon, later moving to RCM.