Ho Chi Lam, Piano

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

Piano Sonata in E minor Op 90 No 27

i. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck

ii. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen

FRANZ SCHUBERT

Impromptu in B flat major Op 142 No 3

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF

Variations on a theme of Corelli Op 42

INTERVAL

Jakub Smola / cello; Juanjo Blázquez / piano

GIUSEPPE COLOMBI

Chiacona a Basso solo

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

Cello Sonata in C major Op 102 No 1

i. Andante

ii. Allegro vivace

iii. Adagio – Tempo d’andante

iv. Allegro vivace

VOJTĚCH FRANK

Sonata for cello and piano

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK

Rondo in G minor Op 94

Ho Chi Lam, Piano

Ho Chi Lam is currently studying for his master’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music. Prior to studying in Manchester, he began playing the piano at five years old and received his music education from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. When he was a child, he participated in many competitions such as the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival and has since played in many concerto performances and solo recitals. He has also performed in several chwmber concerts and explored different types of music. In addition, Ho has been awarded several scholarships throughout his studies. 

Ho Chi Lam pursued the piano as he loves the emotional and communicative nature of music. Music has always brought him joy and enthusiasm, for example some of his favourite composers include Chopin, Schubert and Liszt. A unique pianist, Ho creates an exciting and poetic concert experience through his deeply expressive interpretations and meaningful programme choices.

Ho Chi Lam appears by kind permission of the RNCM.

Jakub Smola, Cello

Jakub Smola cello

Born in 1995 in Pilsen, Czech Republic, Jakub is a young cellist currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester under the tutelage of Gillian Thoday. Prior to this, he studied at the Clerical Gymnasium, Pilsen and at the Prague Conservatoire with Renata Strašrybková.

As a laureate of the Pilsen Orpheus prize, awarded to young musicians for successfully representing the City of Pilsen in competitions, Jakub has performed as a soloist with the Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra. He has benefitted from being awarded the ABRSM Scholarship for Undergraduate and Postgraduate (EU), which goes towards his studies at the RNCM. He was also awarded a place on the prestigious Professional Experience Scheme with the Manchester Camerata, which he completed in the Academic year 2022/2023. During his studies he has had the opportunity to play in a masterclass with Alban Gerhardt, and has benefitted from tuition with Miklós Perényi, and Hannah Roberts.

As a keen chamber musician, Jakub is grateful to have been able to work with Petr Prause, Henk Guittart, Magnus Johnston, and members of the Elias Quartet. Jakub is also a passionate orchestral player. He has had the privilege of working with esteemed conductors such as Antony Hermus, Peter Whelan, Douglas Boyd and Gabor Takacs-Nagy. Jakub plays a cello made by Mathias Heinicke.

Jakub Smola appears by kind permission of the RNCM.

Juanjo Blázquez piano

Born in Lorca (Spain) in 1998, he began his piano studies at the Narciso Yepes Professional Conservatory of Lorca in 2006. He completed his piano studies at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid in 2020, under the guidance of Ana Guijarro, having previously studied with Pilar Bilbao Iturburu. He then continued studying at the RNCM with Graham Scott and Kathryn Stott.

Juanjo has received masterclasses from teachers such as Lilya Zilberstein, Anna Malikova, Stefan Vladar, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Boris Berman, Stephen Hough, Eldar Nebolsin, Claudio Martínez-Mehner, Eliso Virsaladze and Elisabeth Leonskaja among others.

He has performed all over Spain and UK, including Wigmore Hall, Italy, Netherlands and the ALTI Hall in Kyoto. Juanjo has performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 as a soloist in Madrid’s National Auditorium with the María Rodrigo Symphony Orchestra, and with multiple orchestras in the UK and Spain. Juanjo is part of the Talent Unlimited charity.

Juanjo has won prizes in national and international competitions such as the Ciudad de Albacete, the Almudena Cano and ClaMo International competition. He also came First in the 2022 Emmanuel Prize in Manchester.

He is also a fellow of the prestigious La Caixa Foundation, and he was chosen to represent Spain in the Kyoto International Music Student Festival in 2019, receiving outstanding reviews. He recently appeared in issue 83 of the International Piano Magazine in June 2023, which reviewed the charity concert in favour of the Disasters Committee Ukraine Appeal and A Bed Every Night.

In the UK, Juanjo collaborates with the Olympias Music Foundation (OMF), which brings music education and experience to those who don’t have access to it. Juanjo has been recently nominated for his work at OMF’s Voices of Hope with BBC Folk Singer of the Year Rioghnach Connolly for the Manchester Culture Awards.

Juanjo’s 2024 project is a Concerto Marathon, where he is performing seven different concerti with orchestras all over the UK.

Juanjo Blázquez appears by kind permission of the RNCM.