Lunchtime Recital Margarita Balanas, Cello Jonathan Martindale, violin Emily Earl, violin Lucy Nolan, viola Peggy Nolan, cello Toby Hughes, double bass

Wednesday 28th April 2021, 1pm The Great Hall, St Bartholomew's Hospital

Watch every concert live on the City Music Foundation YouTube Channel & Page MARGARITA BALANAS Cello

Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas is one of the most exciting and versatile artists of her generation. Known for her distinguished artistry and mesmerising stage presence, she has performed to audiences world-wide being hailed as “powerful, delicate, intense and brilliant” (GLAM Adelaide). Balanas made her solo debut at Wigmore Hall at age 17 and has performed for dignitaries and royalty, including HRH Prince Charles at venues such as Royal Festival Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Kensington Palace, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Foundation Louis Vuitton, Southbank Centre, Walt Disney Hall, Casa da Musica and Le Corum, and has appeared in festivals such as Piatigorsky International Cello Festival in Los Angeles, the Adelaide International Cello Festival in Australia, the International Cello Festival Shanghai, and International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove and performed with the Israel Camerata, Sinfonie Orchester Berlin, Saarbrucken Symphony Orchestra, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Lithuanian National Orchestra, Margarita is a regular guest artist for Scala Radio, BBC Radio 3 In-Tune, Classic FM and Latvian Radio 3. Balanas has collaborated with other artists including Lynn Harrell, Trevor Pinnock, Murray Perahia, Paul Daniel, Sir Mark Elder, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Peteris Vasks, Signum Saxophone Quartet and Carlos Izcaray. Most recently Balanas was extended a personal invitation by Anne-Sophie Mutter to tour with the Mutter Virtuosi across South America. She is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, and is grateful to the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, City Music Foundation, the Drake Calleja Trust, the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, the Craxton Memorial Trust, the Tillett Trust and the Hattori Foundation. Margarita was awarded the 2019-20 Bicentenary Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music. Balanas plays the Charles Adolphe Gand Auguste Tolbecque 1849 cello generously on loan to her by the Little Butterfly Foundation. Camille Saint-Saëns wrote his cello Concerto No. 1 for Tolbecque who premiered the concerto on this cello in 1873. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art in Israel commissioned a short documentary about the instrument and Margarita’s performance at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, which was released and presented in 2018.

www.margaritabalanas.com JONATHAN MARTINDALE Violin - 2017 CMF Artist

Born in Manchester in 1985 Jonathan Martindale has been the violinist of the Eblana String Trio since its inception. Aside from the trio he holds a Sub-Principal position in the Royal Northern Sinfonia and is also a member of Manchester Camerata. He has also regularly been a guest with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and BBC Philharmonic and in recent years Jonathan’s performances have taken him throughout Europe, the Far East, and Australia. Notable solo performances include a solo Bach recital for Manchester International Festival as well as performances of concertos by Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Dutilleux.

EMILY EARL Violin - 2019 CMF Artist

Emily Earl is a violinist whose career is built on diversity, ranging from early music to new commissions. A founding member of the Echéa Quartet, she has performed at the Banff Centre and the Wigmore Hall, and was a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music. As an orchestral player, Emily has played with the Oslo Camerata and Oslo Philharmonic, and has worked closely with Marin Alsop and Mark Elder. Emily has a particular love for contemporary music and enjoys working with composers on new works and experimental techniques. She is a member of the Deluge Collective, who create multimedia performance art with artists from the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia. Emily was awarded the J&A Beare Bow Prize for outstanding achievements at the Academy in 2019 and plays a violin by Andrea Postacchini, kindly loaned to her through the Beare’s International Violin Society. LUCY NOLAN Viola - 2017 CMF Artist

Aside from her commitments as a member of the trio, Lucy participates in a wide variety of musical projects. She is passionate about her work as a viola and chamber music tutor, and currently holds teaching positions at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. As a performer, Lucy loves to collaborate with other chamber musicians and is a frequent guest with orchestras. Lucy enjoys exploring different genres of music, recently recording with Jordan Rakei, Alfa Mist, Alice Zawadzki, Stuart McCallum and the Breath. Lucy is a member of the British Viola Society and has also worked on the artistic staff of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and Festival on the Isle of Man.

PEGGY NOLAN Cello - 2017 CMF Artist Peggy Nolan commenced her third level training at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2006 studying with Peter Dixon among others. She holds an International Artist Diploma in String Leadership, Master of Music and first class Bachelor degree from the RNCM. As well as her work with the Eblana String Trio, Peggy was a founding member of the Borromini Quartet, a young London-based ensemble, performing on instruments and bows of the classical period. As an orchestral player Peggy frequently performs with some of the UK and Ireland’s finest orchestras including the Halle, BBC Philharmonic and Irish Chamber Orchestra. TOBY HUGHES Double Bass - 2018 CMF Artist

Toby Hughes is one of the UK’s leading double bass soloists

A true virtuoso, Toby has exceeded the perceived limitations of his instrument by being the first double bassist to win the Bromsgrove International Music Competition, the ROSL string section final, and the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists competition.

Toby has performed with major international orchestras both in Europe and the U.K. Having been awarded support from The Tillett Trust, The Musicians' Company and Making Music, his recital engagements have included appearances at Wigmore Hall, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, The Edinburgh Festival and at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Toby has been a City Music Foundation artist since 2018 and his debut CD will be released on 30th April 2021 with the Champs Hill Record label. PROGRAMME

Dvorak - Cello Concerto Arr. Lucie Treacher

Next lunchtime concert In-person audienc e & live streamed Wednesday 19th May 2021, 1pm Nishla Smith Sign up Watch every concert again on the City Music Foundation YouTube Channel & Facebook Page

CMF supports selected exceptional professional musicians early in their careers with a comprehensive professional development programme and management.

The CMF Artist Programme provides education and training in how to navigate the music industry and how to survive as a freelance performer. The CMF team arranges mentoring, runs workshops, makes CDs, videos and websites, commissions new music, secures airtime on BBC Radio 3 and promotes artists online, in print and on social media. CMF also records CDs and videos, curates and promotes its own concerts and residencies, and acts as agent and manager.

CMF Alumni tell of the many ways CMF has helped them become visible, develop networks and gain recognition during the very fragile early stages of their professional careers. The aim is that CMF artists are ready for four decades or more of contributing to society’s culture and wellbeing – reaching hundreds of thousands of people through live performance, CDs, streaming, broadcasts, teaching and mentoring - giving back a thousand fold what CMF has given them. Thank you for watching today's concert To support the future of live music, please donate here: bit.ly/CMFdonate2021 www.citymusicfoundation.org @CityMusicF

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