Professional Chamber Ensemble
On 17th February 2018 we performed to a packed Music Hall at Ratcliffe College. Thank you to all who came along.
We played an evening of beautiful chamber music ranging from Haydn to a living U.S.A composer, Philip White
In our search for suitable repertoire for piano, string quartet and mezzo-soprano, we were thrilled to discover three pieces scored for that combination. Namely Chanson Perpétuelle by Chausson, Mariettas Lied by Korngold, and also a piece called Since feeling is first by Philip White. Philip is a U.S.A based composer who writes for film & tv and his credits include music for amongst other things the Smurfs, The Revenge of Kitty Galore, James Bond and Baywatch! Clare contacted him having discovered his piece, and he was delighted at the prospect of having it performed in the U.K. It is one, from a cycle of six poems by E. E. Cummings.
On 17th February at Ratcliffe College, our guest singer was mezzo-soprano, Bridget Hardy
Bridget studied music, drama and dance at the University of Birmingham, and continued her singing training in Berlin and London. Concert appearances include Verdi Requiem (London and Salisbury), Mozart Vesperae solennes de confessore and Coronation Mass (Atherstone Choral Society), Britten Spring Symphony (West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge/Fairhaven Singers), Handel Dixit Dominus, Ešenvalds Passion and Resurrection (St John’s College Chapel, Cambridge/Fairhaven Singers), Howells An English Mass (King’s College Chapel, Cambridge), Elgar Sea Pictures (Blackburn Cathedral), Berlioz Les Nuits d’Été (Stamford Chamber Orchestra), Dorabella Così fan tutte (Hayes Symphony Orchestra), Zerlina/Donna Elvira Don Giovanni excerpts (Stamford Chamber Orchestra), Finzi In Terra Pax, Handel Nisi Dominus (English Sinfonia, Hitchin), Vivaldi Gloria, Mozart Credo Mass and Missa Brevis (Rutland Choral Society) and Duruflé Requiem (Queens' College Chapel, Cambridge). She has also given a number of solo recitals around the UK, performing works such as Schumann Frauenliebe und -leben, Britten Cabaret Songs and Brahms Viola Songs. On the opera stage, she has made numerous appearances with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera Holland Park, Carl Rosa Opera including a tour of Australia and New Zealand, Grange Park Opera and a season with D’Oyly Carte at the Savoy Theatre. Bridget also scripted, directed and appeared in a new comedy opera show, Enchantment, which premiered in Cambridge in 2015.
Bridget studied music, drama and dance at the University of Birmingham, and continued her singing training in Berlin and London. Concert appearances include Verdi Requiem (London and Salisbury), Mozart Vesperae solennes de confessore and Coronation Mass (Atherstone Choral Society), Britten Spring Symphony (West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge/Fairhaven Singers), Handel Dixit Dominus, Ešenvalds Passion and Resurrection (St John’s College Chapel, Cambridge/Fairhaven Singers), Howells An English Mass (King’s College Chapel, Cambridge), Elgar Sea Pictures (Blackburn Cathedral), Berlioz Les Nuits d’Été (Stamford Chamber Orchestra), Dorabella Così fan tutte (Hayes Symphony Orchestra), Zerlina/Donna Elvira Don Giovanni excerpts (Stamford Chamber Orchestra), Finzi In Terra Pax, Handel Nisi Dominus (English Sinfonia, Hitchin), Vivaldi Gloria, Mozart Credo Mass and Missa Brevis (Rutland Choral Society) and Duruflé Requiem (Queens' College Chapel, Cambridge). She has also given a number of solo recitals around the UK, performing works such as Schumann Frauenliebe und -leben, Britten Cabaret Songs and Brahms Viola Songs. On the opera stage, she has made numerous appearances with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera Holland Park, Carl Rosa Opera including a tour of Australia and New Zealand, Grange Park Opera and a season with D’Oyly Carte at the Savoy Theatre. Bridget also scripted, directed and appeared in a new comedy opera show, Enchantment, which premiered in Cambridge in 2015.
Concert PerformanceListen to a live recording of us playing the first movement of Beethoven's Archduke Trio.
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Introducing Capriccio...
Ron Willoughby - Violin
Clare Pitchford - Violin
John Bean - Cello
Elizabeth Paling - Viola/Piano
Jeremy Kimber - Piano
Introducing Capriccio...
Ron Willoughby - Violin
Clare Pitchford - Violin
John Bean - Cello
Elizabeth Paling - Viola/Piano
Jeremy Kimber - Piano
Capriccio is formed from experienced professional musicians who wish to bring a broad range of chamber music to people of all ages.
Their enthusiasm for drama and variety in performance is evident from their dynamic musical expression on stage.
Their enthusiasm for drama and variety in performance is evident from their dynamic musical expression on stage.
Ron WilloughbyRonald initially studied the violin, viola, trumpet and piano. He studies the viola and piano at the Royal College of Music with Margaret Major and Frederick Riddle, where he obtained a viola scholarship, and also won the Arthur Gibson prize - the highest award for viola performance. He began his career as a professional viola player with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and became Co-principal Viola with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He also played with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Manchester Camerata, and was Principal Viola with Opera North in Leeds. He became Assistant Professor of Viola at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada. Later in his career he worked in Suffolk and was Head of Violin at the Leicestershire School of Music. He continues to pursue a career as a freelance professional player and teacher, and enjoys all types of music.
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Clare PitchfordClare studied the violin at the Royal Academy of Music with Lionel Bentley and Winifred Roberts, where she was awarded the Gertrude Norman prize. Her Great Great Great Grandfather was a Musical Director in Zwickau and her Grandfather was Hi Fi pioneer G.A.Briggs of Wharfedale Wireless Works, so an interest in music certainly runs in the family! She has lived in Italy playing for Orchestra Sinfonica dell’Emilia Romagna, where conductors included Zubin Mehta. Clare was Principal Second for Scarborough Spa Orchestra, where they did regular BBC radio broadcasts, and she has also performed with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and English String and Symphony Orchestras. Clare enjoys chamber music ensembles and is a session player for TV and film Library Music. Her string quartet, Arioso, played for the Queen in 2012 to celebrate her Jubilee Celebrations. She plays on a Giovanni Battista Gabrielli, made in Florence C1760.
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John BeanJohn studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Derek Simpson, cellist in the Aeolian Quartet. He subsequently played with the Halle Orchestra, Manchester. The orchestra toured regularly around Europe and visited countries such as Hong Kong. He subsequently trained as a luthier at the Newark School of Violin Making and enjoys the variety of performing, teaching and restoration of stringed instruments. He has played with a number of Midlands ensembles, including the Heart of England Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, and also for Her Majesty the Queen’s Golden Jubilee visit to Leicester. He is often in demand with popular music and rock bands and records backing tracks for new releases.
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Elizabeth PalingElizabeth Paling grew up in Loughborough and started to learn the Piano at the age of 6, and the Violin at 7. She gained Performing Diplomas at the age of 15 and continued her studies at the Royal College of Music, where she was a prizewinner, and the Birmingham Conservatoire. During this time she also studied the viola; after graduating she joined the Viola section of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, also playing piano and harpsichord with the RSNO. She has adjudicated at Music Festivals and for competitions at the Scottish Conservatoire, and was the Musical Director of Patchwork Youth Theatre and Kaleidoscope Children’s Theatre. She is now working in the Midlands and is currently embarking on a new series of solo CD recordings.
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Jeremy KimberJeremy almost became a farmer but decided to go to the Welsh College of Music and Drama instead. Here he began with trombone as his first study, then, after becoming bored with playing only one note at a time, switched to the piano, specialising in accompaniment. Since leaving college he has taught at all levels:beginners to diploma candidates, has performed as soloist and accompanist, conducted and examined. In addition to concerts in the U.K., he has performed in Tanzania, Uruguay, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Jeremy has worked with Young Musician competition winners from Australia, Germany and the U.K. And performed concertos by Mozart, Beethoven Schumann and Rachmaninov. For eleven years he was Director of Music at Emmanuel Church, Loughborough. He now divides his time between teaching the piano at Nottingham and Loughborough Universities, performing; now almost exclusively an accompanist/chamber musician and examining for ABRSM.
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Concerts
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Future
15 MAR 2018 Emmanuel Church, Loughborough
Gouvy Pianio quintet, 1st movement. Brahms piano quintet in F minor 25 MAR 2018 The Lion Ballroom, Leominster Haydn piano trio, Gouvy piano quintet & Brahms piano quintet in F minor 5 MAY 2018 Newark Parish Church Brahms piano quintet in F minor |
Previous
17 FEB 2018 Ratcliffe College, Ratcliffe on the Wreake
Songs by Chausson & Korngold (Bridget Hardy, mezzo-soprano), Philip White: 'Since feeling is first' and Brahms piano quintet in F minor. 9 MAY 2017 St. Mary's Church, Nanpanton Music by Bach, Bartok, Shostakovich, Mozart & Dvorak 19 MAR 2016 St. Mary's, Newark Introduction & Scherzo: A. Bean, played on a quartet of instruments made by John Bean, Schumann: piano quintet in Eb major 16 MAR 2016 Emmanuel Church, Loughborough Elgar: Salut d’amour & Dvorak: piano quintet 7 MAR 2016 Introduction & Scherzo: A. Bean, played on a quartet of instruments made by John Bean, Schumann: piano quintet in Eb major |
Capriccio Recordings
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