Simon Zhu, violin
Han-Wen Jennifer Yu, piano
Saturday 21 March 2026 at 7:30 pm
Violinist Nicolo Paganini was a popular idol; he inspired the Romantic mystique of the virtuoso and revolutionized violin technique. It was even rumoured that he was in league with the devil! His technical innovations were imitated by later virtuoso, notably Eugène Ysaÿe. It is incredibly exciting that, in this recital, you will hear these brilliantly virtuosic and emotionally charged works by Paganini and Ysaÿe. And the best-suited recitalist for this repertoire is Simon Zhu, winner of the 2023 Premio Paganini! He and his piano collaborator Han-Wen Jennifer Yu will also perform Schumann’s heart-squeezing Violin Sonata 1. It will be a special occasion indeed.
Ticket Information
Tickets will go on sale on Sunday 22 February 2026 at 12 noon.
Ticket price: £28
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Robert Schumann: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105
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Niccolò Paganini: La Campanella
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Niccolò Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op. 1, Nos. 5 & 24 in A minor
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Niccolò Paganini: I Palpiti, Theme with Variations, Op. 13
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Eugène Ysaÿe: Caprice after Étude en Forme de Valse
Simon Zhu is a rising violinist with a versatile repertoire. His successes are remarkable. In October 2023, he won 1st prize at the 2023 International Violin Competition “Premio Paganini” in Genoa, Italy, and the special prize for the best Paganini concerto, as well as a number of important concert engagements – including the rare opportunity to perform on Paganini’s own violin “Cannone”. By Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù from 1743.
Han-Wen Jennifer Yu, a native of Taichung, Taiwan. She earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Tunghai University (Taiwan), where she graduated with the highest honors with Dr. Juanelva Rose and Dr. Thomas Linde; a Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano with Dr. Cameron Stowe, Dr. Pei-Shan Lee and Prof. Jonathan Feldman from New England Conservatory; and a Konzertexamen (equal as doctor program in Taiwan) at the HMT Leipzig with professor Gudrun Franke in piano chamber music, and minor in solo piano with professor Gerald Fauth.
Information
- Tickets are £28 each; seats are guaranteed but not reserved
- Car parking is included
- Snacks and drinks (included in ticket price) will be served during the interval
- Prices broadly cover the cost of musicians; your voluntary donation will help us to continue to run these recitals
- Recitals take place at Breinton, Heath House Road, Woking GU22 0RD - get directions
- Car parking is available from 7:00 pm; Doors will open at 7:15 pm; Performance at 7:30 pm
- Tickets must be purchased in advance from this website.
Booking Terms
- All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. This means that we cannot return your payment if you are unable to attend an event. Your payment will be refunded in full if we have to cancel a recital. Donations are non-refundable.
- Tickets may be transferred to others. This means that you may give away or sell your tickets to someone else. Tickets are not transferable to another recital or another date.
- If you are unable to attend a recital that you have booked and paid for, we may be able to help you transfer your tickets to another member. If we successfully transfer your ticket to another member, an administrative charge equal to 30% of the ticket price will be payable. This should be done no less than three days before the recital.
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