Emerging Artists Concerts September 2023
Usher Hall - September 2023
Ros-Turowska Duo, accordion/violin | Rosie and Anna, soprano/piano | Saudade Duo, violin/guitar | Phillip Leslie, piano
On Monday, Phillip Leslie’s piano recital brought the Usher Hall’s short series of Emerging Artists’ concerts to a dramatic close, with his spell-binding playing of Bartok’s Piano Sonata SZ.80. Introducing the work, he demonstrated the strange dissonances of its second movement Sostenuto s pesante (sustained and heavy) – this formed a slow, thoughtful interlude between the dashing outer movements, exciting to watch as well as hear. The concert began with two contrasting sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti - always interesting to hear these early works played on a concert grand. Later Phillip summoned up all the mystery of Debussy’s drowned cathedral with its subdued bells in one Prelude while his rapidly crossing hands mimicked Puck’s acrobatics visually as well as through the “capricious” music. Phillip is a relaxed performer who clearly enjoys his playing and seems entirely at ease in the rigour of earlier music, the lush tones of romanticism, and the risk-taking of the twentieth century.
The four Usher Hall concerts provided the chance to hear some very talented musicians early in their careers. Each of the morning concerts attracted at least 50 people, seated in the organ gallery – not renowned for its comfort but giving the players an intimate performing space where we could at the same time relish the sound of the Usher Hall acoustic. The Emerging Artists series which began in 2010 is funded by a bequest from Kimie Okada (1929-2008) who moved from Tokyo to Edinburgh in 1993 and was always keen to support music in her adopted home. The concerts are presented in partnership with Live Music Now Scotland, and more information about its work, these musicians and their other current artists can be found here.
Violinist Maria Turowska and accordionist, Sofia Ros, are the Glasgow-based Ros-Turowska Duo who gave the first concert three weeks ago. The violin and accordion combination makes wonderful sounds, as heard in different genres: the gypsy/flamenco style of de Falla’s ‘Suite Populaire Espagnole’, and Astor Piazzola’ s ‘Grand Tango.’ There was unexpected humour in Alfred Schnittke’ s ‘Suite in the Old Style.’ The accordion is now a recognised classical instrument, and it’s no surprise that Sofia also enjoys a successful solo career with concerts in the States and in Switzerland over the next months. Maria has recently participated in Studio Collective, a group of string musicians at the Conservatoire who are playing experimental music, specially written for the group by contemporary composers.
Two weeks ago we heard a recital by soprano, Rosie Lavery and pianist, Anna Michels, (Rosie and Anna). They presented a wide-ranging selection of songs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, starting with Aaron Copland’s lovely settings of Emily Dickinson’s short enigmatic poems. English/American composer Rebecca Clarke’s setting of John Masefield’s poem ‘The Seal Man’ was very popular with singers when it was first composed a hundred years ago. It’s a fascinating piece of story-telling, given a sympathetic treatment by both musicians. Rosie and Anna introduced me to Clare Liddell’s ‘Five Orkney Scenes’ in their Paxton House recital in June, and I was pleased to hear these songs again, settings of poems by George Mackay Brown, ranging from the tragic ‘Fisherman’s Bride’ to the comic child ‘Beachcomber.’ Their final number, James MacMillan’s sparse treatment of ‘Scots Song’ (‘Tryst’ by William Soutar) is always guaranteed to make the hairs rise at the back of the neck. Rosie turns her attention to opera in the next few months with appearances in RCS productions of Menotti’s ‘The Medium,’ Massenet’s ‘Cendrillon’ and Mozart’s ‘Idomeneo’. Meanwhile Anna features work by Scots composer, Ronald Center, as well as Rachmaninov and Schumann at a lunchtime concert at North Esk Parish church in November, and next year plays Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3 with the RCS Orchestra.
I was unable to attend the concert by the Saudade Trio, guitarist, Jacopo Lazzareti and violinist, Eddy Betancourt, although I gather they gave a terrific performance in works by Satie, Morricone and Paganini. I enjoyed hearing Jacopo play at The Western General hospital while I was a patient at the Haematology Day Ward. My chat with him afterwards helped me to understand the working life of the musicians on the Live Music Now Scotland programme, and the musical delights they can bring to small groups in residential schools, care homes and hospitals. Jacopo’s session at the Day Ward was part of a pilot programme, and on Monday, I was very pleased to learn from Carol Main, the director of LMNS, that after a positive response from patients and staff, a programme of recitals is going ahead at the Western.
Look out for further Emerging Artists’ concerts in December and January, starting with four trombones, The Slideshow Quartet at 11am on 4th December.
