Lunchtime Concert Series

Alissa Firsova (Piano)

Monday 25 July 2011 1.00pm Park Lane Group Series

Suggested donation £3.50

St Martin-in-the-Fields Trafalgar Square London WC2N 4JJ Tel: 020 7766 1100 www.smitf.org

If you are unable to stay for the whole of the concert please leave during the applause. Smoking and the consumption of food and drink are not allowed in this church. Members of the audience are kindly requested to switch off mobile phones and alarms on digital watches. Photography, audio or video recording are not permitted.

Programme Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op 26 Robert Schumann (Carnival Scenes from Vienna) (1810 – 1856)

i. Allegro ii. Romanza iii. Scherzino iv. Intermezzo v. Finale

Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op 111 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Maestoso – Allegro con brio e appassionato

Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

The PLG acknowledges with gratitude support from the Musicians Benevolent Fund.

The Performer Alissa Firsova was born 24 July 1986 in Moscow into a family of composers, Elena Firsova and Dmitri Smirnov. In 1991 she and her family moved to England, and at the age of 8 she began studying piano with Tatiana Kantorovich. In 1999 Alissa gained a full scholarship at the Purcell School where she continued studying piano and composition. Her piano teachers included Valeria Szervansky, James Gibb and Simon Mulligan. In 2001 Alissa won the BBC/Guardian/Proms Young Composer Competition with her piano piece "Les Pavots", which followed workshops with Leonard Slatkin, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Fraser Trainer and Sally Beamish, plus a Radio 3 broadcast of "Les Pavots" played by Alissa herself. In 2001 Alissa received a commission from ABRSM to write a cello and piano piece for Spectrum, published in 2004. Also she was commissioned from "8u8" Ensemble of St Petersburg. In 2002 her "Entire City" for string quintet was performed in the State of the Nation Festival. In March 2003 her orchestral piece "Strength Through Joy" was performed at the Academy, after winning the schools Composer's Competition. Alissa gained a scholarship to study Composition at the Dartington Summer School 2003 with David Bedford. In February 2004 Alissa had her two pieces "Lake Albany" and "Loss" performed at the South Bank. Alissa has recorded her father's Piano Sonata No 4 "String of Destiny" on the Megadisc label. Alissa has performed solo and chamber music in such venues as the Duke's Hall, RAM, Purcell Room, Goldsmith's College, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Wigmore Hall. In April 2003 Alissa performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 3 under Frank Wadkin and in April 2004 Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 under Mark Gooding, and in June 2003 she performed with the Xenia Ensemble in Cumiana Castle, Torino, Italy. In June 2004 Alissa performed her own and her mother's music at the Oxford Chamber Music Festival. In Summer 2004 she studied at the Dartington Summer School under Stephen Kovacevich. Alissa has been studying at the Royal Academy of Music since September 2004 under Hamish Milne. In January 2005 she gave a concert at the Purcell Room as part of the Park Lane Group. She has also given a recital at the Cheltenham Festival 2005, and Imogen Cooper premiered her work "Lune Rouge" which was commissioned by the festival. Future engagements include a trip to Seattle in April where she will play a recital, and she will hear a world premiere of her work "Celebration" played by the Seattle Chamber Players. In June she is playing a chamber music programme at a festival in Gloucesteshire. And Alissa will spend the whole of August in Dartington Summer School where she will perform her family concerto, in which she and her parents are writing a movement each. And finally, she will play Bartok's Sonata for two pianos and percussion with Stephen Kovacevich towards the end of the festival.

St Martin-in-the-Fields has welcomed talented musicians to this central London platform for over 60 years - from highly acclaimed young soloists, to choirs from all over the world; from promising new ensembles, to established professionals. This tradition is supported by the generosity of our performers as well as our audiences. Whilst these concerts are free to all, for those able to give, a suggested donation of £3.50 would be greatly appreciated to help fund all aspects of the work at St Martin’s.

Tuesday 26 July, 1.00pm St Martin’s New Music Series Programme features new works by jazz vocalist and composer Michael L Roberts Michael L Roberts Piano Tuesday 26 July, 7.30pm Vivaldi and Piazzolla Four Seasons by Candlelight Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No 3 Piazzolla - Oblivion Bach - Air 'on the G String' Vivaldi – ‘Spring’ from Four Seasons Piazzolla – ‘Summer’ in Buenos Aires Vivaldi – ‘Autumn’ from Four Seasons Piazzolla – ‘Winter’ in Buenos Aires Pachelbel - Canon Bach – Violin Concerto in E Trafalgar Sinfonia Judith Templeman Violin Ivor Setterfield Conductor Tickets: £22 £16 £10 Wednesday 27 July, 8.00pm Jazz in the Crypt TJ Johnson’s Bourbon Kick Backed by his group of top British musicians, TJ Johnson plays an extraordinary blend of music that transcends the boundaries of jazz, blues, soul, country and gospel. Tickets: £9 (reserved seating) £5.50 (unreserved) Thursday 28 July, 7.30pm Bach, Handel and Vivaldi by Candlelight Bach – Concerto for Two Violins in D minor Bach – Air ‘on the G String’ Bach – Violin Concerto in A minor Handel – Water Music Suite in G Handel – Concerto Grosso in A op 6 No 11 Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba Vivaldi – Flute Concerto ‘La Notte’ Vivaldi – Sinfonia ‘Alla Rustica’ Vivaldi – ‘Summer’ from Four Seasons Belmont Ensemble of London Peter Dyson Conductor Tickets: £22 £18 £14 £10 £8