Cover photo: Jess Gillam

- BBC

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Cover photo: Jess Gillam

- BBC

Welcome to our new season. Join us for seven concerts showcasing the extraordinary range of musical talent performing today.

We have concerts by brilliant young musicians rapidly making a name for themselves. Two former BBC Young Musicians, Jess Gillam and Peter Moore, are transforming audiences’ preconceptions of what the saxophone and trombone can do. Another Young Musician prizewinner, Michael Foyle, joins us with his duo partner, Maksim Štšura, for a concert commemorating the end of the First World War, and Riyad Nicolas tackles Ravel’s virtuosic Gaspard de la Nuit.

We can also look forward to visits by distinguished performers long established on the international circuit. The Heath Quartet will be playing Ligeti’s 2nd string quartet - and telling us why they admire this piece so much at their pre-concert talk. The Japanese violinist, Mayumi Fujikawa, returns to the region to play Chausson’s Concert with her cellist husband, Richard Markson. And the season starts with the highly regarded Shaham Erez Wallfi sch Trio playing masterpieces by Beethoven and Dvořák.

Individual concert tickets cost £15, but why pay full price when you can save money with an early-bird subscription? If you book before 7th October, we will give you all seven concerts for just £75 - a saving of £30. You help us by paying in advance and we give you two concerts free of charge. Find out more at the back of this brochure.

I very much hope you will join us.

Martin HughesChairman

Welcome

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Trio portrait by Michael Pavia

Tuesday, 16th October - 7.30pmQueen’s Hall, Hexham

The Joyce Christie memorial concert

We are delighted to start our new season with this trio of distinguished international musicians. Their cellist, Raphael Wallfi sch, is one of the most recorded classical artists in the world with over 70 recordings to his name, and Hagai Shaham and Arnon Erez are a highly successful, prize-winning violin and piano duo. They started playing together as a trio in 2009 and have performed, broadcast and recorded widely throughout Europe and Israel. London’s Wigmore Hall has chosen them to present the complete Beethoven piano trios in 2020, the composer’s 250th anniversary year, and one of those trios is featured in tonight’s concert along with a chamber masterpiece by Dvořák.

ProgrammeBloch Three NocturnesBeethoven Piano Trio, op. 1 no. 2Dvořák Piano Trio in F minor, op. 65

Annual General MeetingThe society’s AGM will be held in the White Room at the Queen’s Hall immediately before this concert at 6.30pm.

Join us in the discussion over a glass of wine.

Shaham Erez Wallfi sch Trio

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Duo portrait by Kaupo Kikkas

Monday, 12th November - 7.30pmQueen’s Hall, Hexham

Michael Foyle (violin) and Maksim Štšura (piano) started performing together in 2012 and have won acclaim for the ‘astonishing mutual understanding, feeling and responsiveness’ of their playing. They play entirely from memory. Success at two international chamber music competitions in Verona and London in 2015 led to engagements in venues as diverse as the Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, New York, Mexico, Tallinn and St. Petersburg - and even Buckingham Palace. Their concert for us marks the centenary of the end of the First World War and includes Elgar’s violin sonata, one of three great chamber works composed in a late outpouring of creativity in 1918 and 1919.

ProgrammeJanáček Sonata for Violin and PianoElgar Violin Sonata in E minor, op. 82Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minorRespighi Sonata for Violin and Piano in B minor

Foyle-Štšura Duo

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Peter Moore portrait by Kaupo Kikkas

Thursday, 6th December - 7.30pmQueen’s Hall, Hexham

In 2008, at the age of 12, Peter astounded viewers by becoming the youngest ever BBC Young Musician of the Year. He was appointed co-principal trombone of the London Symphony Orchestra when he was 18 and has just been named as one of the European Concert Hall Organisation’s Rising Stars for the 2018/19 season. He is still only in his early 20s. His passion for pushing the boundaries of the trombone is refl ected in tonight’s programme with its eclectic mix of the old and the new. Peter will be accompanied by Robert Thompson, a celebrated chamber musician and instrumentalist.

ProgrammeGouinguené Concerto in A minorSchumann Arabesque in C, op. 18Brahms Cello Sonata in E minor, op. 38 (arr. for trombone)Lindberg Los BandidosMaynard Urban VariationsRavel SonatineFalla Siete canciones populares españolasBozza Ballade

Peter Moore (trombone)

with Robert Thompson (piano)

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Friday, 11th January - 7.30pmQueen’s Hall, Hexham

Riyad Nicolas is one of the most exciting musicians to emerge from the Middle East, praised by no less a fi gure than Daniel Barenboim for his talent and musical sensitivity. He moved to London from Syria in 2005 and has won several awards since then, including the Royal College of Music’s prestigious Chappell Medal Competition in 2015. He has a busy recital and chamber music career throughout Europe. He is committed, through his music, to raising awareness of the plight of the Syrian people and has performed for international organisations including the UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, and the International Rescue Committee.

ProgrammeBeethoven Piano Sonata no. 13 in E fl at major, ‘Quasi una fantasia’, op. 27 no. 1Ravel Gaspard de la NuitChopin Piano Sonata no. 3 in B minor, op. 58Scriabin Piano Sonata no. 5 in F sharp major, op. 53

Riyad Nicolas is one of the most exciting musicians to emerge from the Middle East, praised by no less a fi gure

Riyad Nicolas (piano)

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Jess Gillam (saxophone)

with Zeynep Ozsuca (piano)

Jess Gillam

portrait by Kaupo Kikkas; Zeynep Özsuca portrait by H

ugh Warw

ickWednesday, 13th February - 7.30pm

Queen’s Hall, Hexham

with Zeynep OzsucaZeynep Ozsuca (piano)Zeynep Ozsuca

Jess Gillam made history in 2016 as the fi rst saxophonist to win the woodwind fi nal of BBC Young Musician of the Year. With her dazzling playing and vivacious stage presence, she is already becoming recognised as an international ambassador for her instrument and the 2018 Classic Brit awards hailed her as a performer ‘who embodies the exciting future of classical music’. Jess will be accompanied by Zeynep Özsuca, a concert pianist and chamber musician praised by Sir Simon Rattle as one of today’s ‘great ensemble pianists’. Their programme ranges from Marcello’s baroque concerto to fi lm music by Michael Nyman and John Williams.

ProgrammeItturalde Pequena CzardasBritten Temporal VariationsRavel Pièce en forme de Habanera Wiedoeft Valse Vanité Nyman If (from The Diary of Anne Frank) Milhaud Scaramouche  Marcello Oboe Concerto Williams Escapades Bartók Romanian Dances Harle Rant

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Heath Q

uartet portrait by Simon W

ayFriday, 8th March - 7.30pm

Queen’s Hall, Hexham

The dynamic and charismatic Heath Quartet are fast earning a reputation as one of the most exciting British chamber ensembles of the moment. In May 2013, they became the fi rst ensemble in 15 years to win the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artists Award. They are in huge demand here and abroad, often collaborating with artists of the calibre of Ian Bostridge, Stephen Hough, Mark Padmore and Lawrence Power. Tonight’s programme includes a quartet by Ligeti which they regard as the most important string quartet of the 20th century. Find out more about this work at the quartet’s pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

ProgrammeHaydn String Quartet in D, op. 20 no. 4Ligeti String Quartet no. 2 Beethoven String Quartet in E fl at major, op. 127

Pre-concert talk at 6.30pm

Heath Quartet

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Wednesday, 10th April - 7.30pmQueen’s Hall, Hexham

The celebrated violinist, Mayumi Fujikawa, makes a welcome return to the north-east with the cellist and conductor, Richard Markson, for a performance of Chausson’s magnifi cent Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet. Mayumi and Richard have had long, successful international careers as soloists, chamber musicians and recording artists, working with artists as diverse as Lorin Maazel, André Previn, Andrew Davis, Nobuko Imai and Jorge Federico Osorio. They are also distinguished teachers dedicated to the nurturing of new talent and are joined at this performance by an ensemble of young musicians including their pianist/composer son, Oliver.

ProgrammeBeethoven Variations on ‘Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu’, op. 121a, for piano trioMozart Piano Quartet in E fl at major, K493Chausson Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet in D major, op. 21

The celebrated violinist, Mayumi Fujikawa, makes a The celebrated violinist, Mayumi Fujikawa, makes a The celebrated violinist, Mayumi Fujikawa, makes a The celebrated violinist, Mayumi Fujikawa, makes a

Fujikawa, Markson and friends

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SubscriptionsSave money by taking out a series subscription - the best way to ensure that you don’t miss a single concert.

Early birds booking before 7th October pay just £75 for the series of seven concerts, a saving of £30 on the cost of single tickets and £15 on the full subscription price.

Subscriptions are fully transferable. If you can’t get to a concert, you are welcome to lend your ticket to someone who can.

By subscribing, you are helping the society to plan with confidence and book the high-quality performers that Hexham deserves.

Please use the application form on the next page.

Single TicketsAdults - £15.00

Students - £7.50

Schoolchildren - £1.00

Wheelchair users’ companions - free of charge

Book all single tickets through the Queen’s Hall box office -

By phone - 01434 652477

Online - www.queenshall.co.uk

In person - Queen’s Hall, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS

Box office opening hours - 10.00am to 5.00pm (Monday to Friday), 10.00am to 4.00pm (Saturday) and one hour before each concert.

The Queen’s Hall charges a handling fee of 50p per ticket for online bookings, and £1.50 for sending tickets out by post.

How to book

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Subscription application

Name .....................................................................................................................

Address .................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................

...............................................................Postcode ...............................................

Phone ....................................................................................................................

E-mail ....................................................................................................................

Please send me ...... . . . . . subscription tickets at £90 each for the series of 7 concerts. (£75 each, if paid before 7th October 2018)

(Optional) I wish to donate £...... . . . . . towards the work of the society. Gift Aid form available on request.

I enclose a cheque for £...... . . . . . payable to ‘Hexham and District Music Society’ and a stamped addressed envelope.

Please return this form to:

Jim CurtisMembership SecretaryHexham and District Music SocietyDelegate CottageFellsideHexhamNE46 1RB

Privacy noticeWe hold and keep secure the names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of annual members, together with details of donations and Gift Aid declarations. We never pass your data to anyone else. We would expect to telephone you only if a concert is cancelled. We would, however, like to send you e-mail reminders shortly before each concert in the season. If you are happy to

receive these e-mails, please tick this box: ❏

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All concerts begin at 7.30pm in the Queen’s Hall, Hexham

Tuesday, 16th October

Shaham Erez Wallfisch Trio

Monday, 12th November

Foyle-Štšura Duo

Thursday, 6th December

Peter Moore (trombone) with Robert Thompson (piano)

Friday, 11th January

Riyad Nicolas (piano)

Wednesday, 13th February

Jess Gillam (saxophone)

with Zeynep Özsuca (piano)

Friday, 8th March

Heath QuartetWednesday, 10th April

Fujikawa, Markson and friends

For more information, visit www.hexhammusic.net

or e-mail info@hexhammusic.net.

2018/2019season at a glance

Programme arranged and presented by the Hexham and District Music Society

The society’s annual general meeting will be held in the White Room at the Queen’s Hall on Tuesday, 16th October at 6.30pm. All are welcome.

The Hexham and District Music Society is a registered charity. Number: 253761

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