Programme Information:
Edward Lloyd / Piano
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN
Mazrukas Op 33
i. Mesto
ii. Vivace
iii. Semplice
iv. Mesto
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN
Polonaise in F sharp minor Op 44
FRANZ LISZT
Pensée des morts from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses S 173 No 4
FRANZ LISZT arr VLADIMIR HOROWITZ & ARCADI VOLODOS
Hungarian Rhapsody No 15 ‘Rákóczi March’ S 244/15
INTERVAL
George Blakesley / clarinet & bass clarinet and Jonathan Fisher / piano
DAVID BENNETT THOMAS
Paws
FRANCIS POULENC
Sonata for clarinet and piano FP 184
i. Allegro tristamente
ii. Romanza
iii. Allegro con fuoco
EUGÈNE BOZZA
Ballade for bass clarinet and piano
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Clarinet Sonata No 1 in F minor Op 120
i. Allegro appassionato
ii. Andante un poco adagio
iii. Allegretto grazioso
iv. Vivace
Meet the Musicians:
Edward Lloyd: Piano
Edward Lloyd is a twenty one-year-old British pianist from Woodplumpton, Lancashire. At the age of eleven he chose to study the piano and from the age of fourteen competed in numerous piano competitions in the North West, winning first prize in many festivals including Penwortham Youth Music, and Burnley and Blackburn Music Festivals. At fifteen, he entered the European Piano Teacher’s Association Competition held at Chetham’s School of Music winning first prize in the ‘Advanced One’ class in 2017. Edward then studied at Cheetham's under Simon Bottomley, Jeremy Young and Murray McLachlan.
He now continues his undergraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music under Graham Scott. In 2021 Edward was awarded the first prize in the RNCM Beethoven Competition and went on to be awarded the second prize in the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe Senior Intercollegiate Competition where he represented the RNCM. Edward was also chosen as the recipient of the The Marjorie Clementi Memorial Award by the School of Keyboard Studies at the RNCM.
In his third year of undergraduate studies, Edward was selected to be a member of the RNCM Songsters and was awarded the Alexander Young Prize for best accompanist. Following this, Edward appeared on the main stage of the Bridgewater Hall where he performed with the RNCM Songsters. After performing Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto in the RNCM Concerto Competition in 2023, Edward was given the opportunity to perform his debut with the Oxford Festival Orchestra conducted by Felix Kirkby.
Edward Lloyd appears by kind permission of the RNCM.
George Blakesley: Clarinet
George began learning to play the clarinet at the age of 8 at his local school in his home town of Leicester. When George was 16, he joined his local youth orchestra and developed a keen passion for orchestral music. George went on to study for his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Manchester, under the tutelage of Liz Jordan and his Master of Music degree at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Oliver Janes.
During this time, George's musical journey has taken him to playing and studying with some of the best musicians in the country. As part of the CBSO training scheme, George had the opportunity to play a huge variety of symphonic repertoire with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he joined the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s prestigious post-graduate ensemble ‘NEXT’ and developed an interest and specialism in performing contemporary music. George’s love of contemporary music has led him to join Sound World Group in Bristol, a brand-new contemporary music ensemble dedicated to performing accessible contemporary music concerts in the South West.
Recently, George has moved back to Manchester to embark on a Postgraduate Diploma with a scholarship at the Royal Northern College of Music to further hone his skills. While there, he has had the opportunity to play with Opera North on their production of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte and played with the Hallé Orchestra in February. George hopes to complete his course in the summer and continue his journey as a freelancer in the North West.
George Blakesley appears by kind permission of the RNCM.
Jonathan Fisher : Piano
Jonathan Fisher is an accomplished and sought after collaborative pianist having had notable performances at Leeds Lieder, Oxford Lieder Festival, Ryedale Festival, Harrogate Festival, and The Richard Strauss Society, along with many other recitals for music societies across the United Kingdom (UK). He has performed in many prestigious venues throughout the UK including The Purcell Room, The Wigmore Hall, The Bridgewater Hall, and Philharmonic Hall Liverpool.
Jonathan has built his career around art song collaboration, having worked with internationally recognised singers such as Roderick Williams, Benjamin Appl, Sir John Tomlinson, Rachel Nichols, Kathryn Rudge, Anna Stéphany, Lynne Dawson, Linda Richardson, Paul Nilon, and Louise Winter. He has served as a collaborative pianist for the London Master Classes, working alongside tutors Sir John Tomlinson (2018), Nelly Miricioiu (2012 and 2016), and Jennifer Larmore (2017).
Jonathan also regularly performs with award winning instrumentalists. He has performed and toured with the young and vibrant Saxophonist Jess Gillam and has collaborated with Józef Bazsinka (tuba), Chris Swann (clarinet), and Jonathan Rimmer (flute).
In addition to his active performance schedule, Jonathan is committed to working with the next generation of musicians. He works as a Staff Pianist and Coach for the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), where he is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the RNCM Songsters. The RNCM Songsters are a specially selected group of singers and pianists who are trained to excel in song repertoire and promote the unique and intimate setting of recital performance; as part of their 2017-2018 season, Jonathan led the RNCM Songsters in a joint project with The Paris Conservatoire that culminated in a final performance at The Opéra Comique. He is also Artistic Director of the RNCM’s annual Day of Song and holds the position of Head of Keyboard and Pianist-in-Residence at the University of Huddersfield.
Jonathan graduated with first class honours from The University of Huddersfield and has a Master of Music in Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music. He has taken masterclasses and private tuition from Malcom Martineau, Julius Drake, and Roger Vignoles.
Jonathan Fisher appears by kind permission of the RNCM.