This is a new date; this event has been recently rescheduled.
Praised for their ‘almost telepathic communication’ London-based duo Nicola Hands (oboe, cor anglais) and Jonathan Pease (piano) present a fascinating programme of works by Asafyev, Gorlov, Drashnikova and Nikolay Tcherepnin. This is a unique opportunity to explore the lesser-known repertoire for the well-known instruments.
PROGRAMME:
N. Gorlov (b. 1926): Suite for oboe and piano
B. Asafyev (1884-1949): Sonatina for oboe and piano
A. Rubinstein (1829-1894): Romance, Op. 69 no. 4
M. Dranishnikova (1929-1994): Poem for oboe and piano
P. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), arr. J. Pease: 'Tender Reproches', 'Valse-bluette', 'Passé-lointain' from Dix-huit morceaux, Op. 72
N. Tcherepnin (1873-1945): Sketch for cor anglais, Op. 45 no. 8
Y. Povolotsky (b. 1962): French Sonata ‘Exercise in Spirit of Poulenc’, Op.75
Nicola Hands, oboe, cor anglais
Jonathan Pease, piano
Nicola and Jonathan are an established oboe and piano duo who met at Cambridge University. Together they have performed at venues including St. James Piccadilly, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. Mary Perivale, Peterborough Cathedral, St. George Hanover Square, Waltham Abbey and the Schott Recital Rooms. In January 2020 they released their first album, Light and Shade, of which MusicWeb International wrote: ‘It’s hard to imagine a more sensitive and sincere performance of [Dranishnikova’s] Poem than it receives here’. Their second album Phoenix, which included the première recording of Paul Patterson’s Phoenix Sonata, was released in December 2020, and praised by numerous reviewers for the ‘immaculate playing’, ‘virtuosic cor anglais playing at its very best’ and ‘almost telepathic communication’.
Nicola Hands graduated with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music Masters programme, where she won the Evelyn Barbirolli prize for oboe and the Grimaldi prize for cor anglais. Nicola was the 2nd oboe/cor anglais player for the Orquestra do Norte from 2015-2017, and has been on trial with the Philharmonia Orchestra. She also plays regularly with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Orpheus Sinfonia. She played oboe and cor anglais for The Light Princess at the National Theatre in 2013-2014, and has played for other shows including Miss Saigon in the Prince Edward Theatre. As a concert soloist, Nicola has performed the Martinů Concerto, the Vaughan Williams Concerto, the Mozart Concerto, the Marcello D Minor Concerto and the Strauss Concerto. In 2015 she was awarded a Jellinek soloist’s award by Croydon Symphony Orchestra, and as a result played the Albinoni D minor concerto in Guildford in 2016.
Jonathan Pease graduated with an MA in Music from Cambridge University in 2010 before undertaking further study as a pianist with Graham Fitch. He has worked with groups including the Royal Opera House, Garsington Opera, Glyndebourne Youth Opera, Spitalfields Music, Opera Holland Park, Chelsea Opera Group and the Orpheus Sinfonia, and has musically directed opera from the piano for Devon Opera and Opera Anywhere. Fiercely committed to music-making in his native east London, he conducts the East London Evensong Choir and Aldersbrook Community Choir, and is Director of Music at the historic church St. Peter London Docks. He is also a prolific composer of opera and choral music.
Nicola and Jonathan are proud to have the support of Making Music and the Concordia Foundation.