Soireés at Breinton
announces its Tenth Season 
of classical music recitals in Woking
for 2018/2019

20 July 2019, Woking

It is our special season to be celebrated: our Tenth Anniversary!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank profusely to every one for your continuous and loyal support of Soirées at Breinton. It has been absolute pleasure to present recitals to the most enthusiastic audiences for the past ten years. Soirées at Breinton has now developed into a well-established music society, but we would not have achieved the current success without your enthusiasm, encouragement and participation. We aim each season and each recital to be full of character and filled with joy and excitement. Our sole objective for the ten years has remained the same – to share the highest standard performances by the wide range of truly outstanding musicians with our audience in the friendly and intimate and welcoming setting.

Here is the line-up of our wonderful musicians for the coming year; we are confident that all the concerts will promise a wonderful musical experience.

Soirees

• Saturday 22 September 2018 – Llŷr Williams (piano)
  Known for his intelligent and communicative interpretations and as a critically acclaimed Beethoven interpreter who has completed the nine-recital Beethoven cycle at the Wigmore Hall, Welsh pianist Llŷr Williams will open the South Bank International Piano Series. A former BBC Radio 3 Young Generations Artist and YCAT musician, he is now Artist-in-Association at the Royal Welsh School of Music and Drama. One can only look forward to his programme of works by Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms, none of which have been performed before at Breinton.
• Friday 26 October – Emma Johnson (clarinet) and Finghin Collins (piano)
  Hailed as one of the most prolific and well-known clarinet soloists of the past quarter century, Emma Johnson MBE, is also one of the UK’s biggest selling classical artists, having sold over half-a-million albums worldwide. Her career was launched when in 1984 at the age of 17 she won the BBC Young Musician of the Year. Since then she has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras. She and her piano partner Finghin Collins will perform a varied programme from Beethoven and Brahms to Stravinsky, Ravel and Bernstein.
• Friday 4 January 2019 – Alina Ibragimova (violin) and Cédric Tiberghien (piano)
  Breinton New Year’s Extravaganza Part I:  Everyone’s all-time favourites, this most sought-after violin and piano duo will return to Breinton! Both Cédric and Alina enjoy flourishing careers as soloists, appearing with many of the world’s leading orchestras and as solo recitalists in the most distinguished venues and festivals on the circuit. Their partnership was formed when they met as members of the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme in 2005, and since then their unique duo-ship has developed as if to conquer the world. What more do we need to say?
• Wednesday 9 January – Benjamin Grosvenor (piano)
  Breinton New Year’s Extravaganza Part II:  Need we say anything about him? This young British pianist has already appeared at the BBC Proms multiple times, having performed at the First Night in 2011 and the Last Night in 2015. Benjamin records exclusively for Decca, the youngest British musician ever to sign to the label, and the first British pianist to sign to the label in almost 60 years. His distinctive sound is described as "poetic and gently ironic, brilliant yet clear-minded, intelligent but not without humour, all translated through a beautifully clear and singing touch". Just make sure you book your tickets quickly.
• Saturday 26 January – Local Young Performers’ Soiree
  Responding to the enthusiastic and positive feedback from our members and to continue our efforts to contribute to the community and support young musicians, we will be repeating the Local Young Performers’ Soiree for the third year. This evening, with performances by aspiring local musicians from our neighbourhood, is suitable for audiences of all ages – so bring your family and friends! A perfect occasion to appreciate different instrumental, solo and vocal performances all in one evening, this is not to be missed. 
• Saturday 2 March – Callum Smart (violin) and Richard Uttley (piano)
  Bad weather with heavy snow forced the cancellation of this wonderful duo’s recital last year, but we are very fortunate to bring them back! This is a third-time return to Breinton by young virtuoso Callum Smart, who reached the final stage of the BBC Young Musicians of the Year competition in 2010 at the age of 13. Also a prize winner of the the Yehudi Menuhin Competition, the highest level competition for young violinists in the world, Callum has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Orpheus Sinfonia. Richard is a sought-after soloist, chamber musician and recording artist, who is regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 3. You can certainly set your expectations high!
• Saturday 13 April – Jamal Aliyev (cello) and Jâms Coleman (piano)
  Azerbaijani cellist Jamal Aliyev is a recipient of numerous titles and awards, the most recent of which is composer Sir Karl Jenkins’ Music Award. He premiers a new work by Sir Karl and records with Classic FM and Warner Classics. Jamal has performed widely in Europe and further afield, highlights including Wigmore Hall and Royal Festival Hall, and made his debut at the BBC Proms in 2017. His debut CD Russian Masters was released by Champs Hill records to critical acclaim. Jamal performs with a fantastic piano collaborator Jams Coleman, whose outstanding work was recently recognized and awarded a prize by the Royal Overseas League.
• Saturday 11 May – Katya Apekisheva (piano)
  Katya Apekisheva, one of the foremost pianists in Europe, is not only a soloist who performs at some of the most prestigious venues, but is also the artistic director of the annual London Piano Festival at Kings Place and a keen chamber musician who performs regularly with artists including Janine Jansen, Maxim Rysanov, Jack Liebeck, Natelie Clein and Charles Owen. She also collaborates with the Heath, Navarra, Brodsky and Belcea string quartets. We are delighted with her return to Breinton, and look forward to her virtuosic and artistic greatness.

Day Time Programme

• Friday 9 December 2018, 12 noon – Florian Mitrea (piano)
  Described by the legendary pianist Martha Argerich as an "outstanding young pianist", Romanian/British pianist Florian Mitrea is the winner of the 2018 Royal Overseas League Piano Competition. He has been a successful laureate at prestigious international competitions such as the 2017 Scottish and 2015 Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. Florian is gifted with phenomenal technique and ravishing musical intelligence; it will be an excellent last musical escape before the year-end hustle-bustle kicks in.
• Friday 22 March 2019, 12 noon – SongHa Choi (violin) and Svitlana Kosenko (piano)
  The youngest performer of the season, SongHa was born in Germany in 2000. She has won a number of national and international competitions, including Senior 2nd prize and the Audience prize in the Yuhude Menuhin International Violin Competition in 2016. With maturity and artistic ability way beyond her age, it is not surprising that she has already performed at prestigious concert venues such as the Southbank Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall in London and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Currently studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School, SongHa has unlimited potential in the future.

Soirées at Breinton is located near to Brookwood Cemetery and parking is available. Tickets include light snacks and drinks served during the interval. Check the Society’s website at www.breinton.com for full details. Early bookings are highly recommended to secure places as all the concerts sell out although a waiting list is also maintained throughout the year. For further information, please call 0300 075 0199 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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This press release is available online at www.breinton.com/press along with high-resolution photographs suitable for publication. 

For further information, please contact:

Kumi Smith-Gordon, artistic director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 07900 565 310.

The following photographs may be used in conjunction with the press release.  Follow the links to download high-resolution versions.

Pianist Llŷr Williams
appears at Soirees at Breinton on Wednesday 9 January 2019

Hi-res:  Llyr Williams 4 CREDIT Evy Ottermans.jpg	Hi-res:  Llyr Williams 1 (c)BGEalovega.jpg

Clarinetist Emma Johnson and pianist Finghin Collins
appear at Soirees at Breinton on Friday 26 October 2018

Hi-res:  Emma-Johnson-©-John-Batten.jpg	Hi-res:  EMMA JOHNSON Credit Helen Maybanks 2016 vi.JPG

Violinist Alina Ibragimova and pianist Cédric Tiberghien
appear at Soirees at Breinton on Friday 4 January 2019

Hi-res:  alina_plates%20crop%20Eva%20Vermandel.jpg	Hi-res:  Alina and Cedric.jpg

Pianist Benjamin Grosvenor
appears at Soirees at Breinton on Wednesday 9 January 2019

Hi-res:  IMG_9773 Credit Patrick Allen - operaomnia.co.uk.jpg	Hi-res:  IMG_0345 Credit Patrick Allen - operaomnia.co.uk.jpg