|
Balint Szekely & Mariko Kondo
|
|
Friday May 25th 7.30pm
|
Ł12 per ticket
|
|
|
Bálint Székely (VIOLIN)
Since his international début at the age of 14, playing Mendelssohn's violin concerto in Düsseldorf's Tonhalle, Bálint Székely has received critical acclaim and many awards for his technique and musical integrity. He has consistently delivered a unique quality of performance, bringing a wide spectrum of colours and sounds to all periods and styles of music from Tartini to Bartók.
Born in Transylvania, Romania, Bálint first began playing the violin at the age of seven. Eight years later he was admitted to the Purcell School of Music in London as a Friends of the Purcell School scholar, where he studied with Béla Dékány, the former leader of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
|
In 1995, at the age of 17, Bálint was awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Scholarship from the Royal College of Music, where he was taught by Grigory Zhislin, a student of Yankelevitch, and gained the first class and distinctions in his Bachelor of Music and postgraduate diplomas in solo and ensemble performance. During this time, he won the Sir Arthur Bliss Prize, the Leonard Hirsch Prize, Beatrice Montgomery prize, Helen Just prize, Stanley Blagrove prize and numerous other prizes.
Bálint has been a winner and laureate of many national and international competitions and awards. These include the prestigious Sándor Végh Award, given to a young Hungarian violinist with an established international career, the Philharmonia Orchestra's Martin Trust Award in 1997, 1999 & 2000, all the principal awards from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, such as the Ian Fleming Award, the Emily English Award in 1999 and the Dame Myra Hess Award in 2000, and also from the Craxton Fund Award in 2003. He has won the first prize in the Young Talented Musicians Competition, Oradea in 1990, the National Competition, Brasov in 1992, the National Olympiad, Timisoara in 1993, 'Jeunesse Musicales' prize at the Silvestri Internaional Concerto competition in 1993, the Ian Stoutzker Violin Competition, London in 2000. He is a laureat of 8th International Carl Flesh Violin competition, Hungary in 1999, and the Jeunesses Musicals Competition in 2003 and many others.
His chamber concerts with a range of partners have taken Bálint to a number of venues and festivals throughout Europe such as Holland, Hungary, Romania, Germany, France, Croatia, Italy and Switzerland and to Far East. Many of his performances have been released on CD and broadcast on radio (BBC, Radio France, FM Osaka, FM Kokoro, Sepsi Radio) and on television in the UK, France, Japan, Romania, Hungary and elsewhere (BBC, Duna, TVR, KBS Kyoto).
Mariko Kondo (PIANO)
Praised for her solo and chamber music performances by both audiences and critics, and described as a “deft and, when needed, strong pianist”, Mariko Kondo has the ability to illuminate a score, investing the smallest musical gesture with meaning. Her concerts, notable for the dedication to the interests of the music, have taken her across Europe and Japan.
Following her 16 years of piano studies in Japan and England, Mariko entered the Royal College of Music in 1994 where her studies with Frank Wibaut and Niel Immelman, led to a Bachelor of Music degree and postgraduate diplomas in solo and ensemble performance. During her time at the RCM, she took part in masterclasses given by Kenneth Gilbert and performed in concerts as a soloist and ensemble musician.
In 1999 Mariko attended the Moscow Conservatoire Summer School, where she studied with Alexsei Nasedkin as well as taking part in Alexander Semetsky's masterclasses.
Since 2000 Mariko has regularly participated in the Oxford International Piano Festival, working with Christopher Elton, Marios Papadopoulos, Menahem Pressler (the Beaux Art Trio), Rosalyn Tureck and Oxana Yablonskaya. Until recently she has been studying with Maria Curcio and Niel Immelman.
In addition to her recitals in Europe and Japan, Mariko has collaborated with many chamber music partners. Most recently, she has been performing with the violinist Bálint Székely across Europe, and in particular in London, where they have appeared at the Royal Opera House, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St James’s, Piccadilly, and St Olave’s. Their successful début in 2004, at the Vega Hall in Kobe, Japan, has led to annual tours across the major cities of Japan, including Kyoto, Kobe, and Kamakura, and also in leading venues such as Hyogo Performing Arts Centre, and the Oji, Hamarikyu Asahi and Suntory Halls in Tokyo.
Their recent concerts at the Royal Opera House, Winchester Cathedral and St Martin-in-the-Fields were received with standing ovations. The duo made their début recital at the prestigious Suntory Hall, Tokyo during a tour of Japan. Following their successful début at the Wigmore Hall in 2007 they returned to the Wigmore Hall in July 2008 with another sell-out recital. She continues to perform in Europe and in Japan.
More info
http://www.balintszekely.com or
http://artist.musicinfo.co.jp
|
|
Balint Szekely & Mariko Kondo Program
Mozart Violin Sonata in Eflat major K481
Bartok - Orszagh For Children
Brahms Violin Sonata in G major Op 78
Schumann Violin Sonata in a minor
|
|
|
|
