Festival Promises Experience of Classical Proportions

Harrogate International Festivals has announced some of the world’s brightest musical talent for its Sunday Series.

The season of coffee concerts returns to the Old Swan Hotel from January to April 2019, with an exceptional programme. Now in its 26th year, the Sunday Series has built an astounding legacy for bringing the finest classical musical talent from around the world to Harrogate.

Opening the series is the internationally renowned pianist Louis Schwizgebel, offering an engaging programme of Schubert and Chopin. Schwizgebel made his BBC Proms debut in 2014 with an electrifying televised performance and came second in the Leeds International Piano Competition 2012.

February features the youngest-ever winner of the BBC Young Musician Competition, trombonist Peter Moore. Peter released his first CD to critical acclaim in 2018 and is joined on stage by fellow Young Classical Artists Trust musician James Baillieu, who was described by The Daily Telegraph as ‘in a class of his own’.

Later in the month the charismatic Ruisi Quartet take to the stage. Winners of the Royal Philharmonic Society award for Young British String Players, the Ruisi Quartet has established a reputation as a charismatic and expressive ensemble. They’ll perform Purcell, Stravinsky and Mendelssohn.

March sees the powerhouse duo of violinist Jennifer Pike, performing with one of the UK’s best loved pianists Martin Roscoe. After winning both the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition and Menuhin International Violin Competition in 2002, Jennifer Pike is one of today’s most exciting instrumentalists.

Bringing the series to a close in April is pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, hailed by The Telegraph as ‘one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century’. Nominated as Gramophone Artist of the Year in 2016, Sudbin brings the Sunday Series to a triumphant close with a programme including Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Chopin.

Charlotte Woods, Music & Education Manager at Harrogate International Festivals, said: “We’re incredibly proud with this world-class line-up of talent that continues our legacy of delivering the international standard audiences have come to expect.”

The Festival is also offering a number of free tickets for young people aged 7-25 as part of its Library of Live scheme by simply joining as a member online at the Festival website. Library of Live offers free tickets to selected events across the Festival portfolio.

Charlotte added: “For our audiences who return year on year they’re already in the know and we welcome them back – but we also want to encourage younger audiences to open up their hearts to classical music too. Its proven classical music has an amazing power on our brains, literally turning grey matter blue, indicating deep emotion. We really believe young people will connect to that depth of feeling if they just got over the stereotype that classical music is just for older generations. Many great composers were the rock stars of their day.”

All concerts will be performed on Sundays at 11am at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.

Louis Schwizgebel, piano: Sunday 13 January, 11am Peter Moore, trombone James Baillieu, piano: Sunday 3 February, 11am Ruisi Quartet: Sunday 17 February, 11am Jennifer Pike, violin Martin Roscoe, piano: Sunday 17 March, 11am Yuvgeny Sudbin piano; Sunday 7 April, 11am