Musical Opinion, Review September 2011
September 29, 2011 | 
Author Musical Opinion, Sept – Oct 2011, page 52
By Robert Matthew-Walker
Musical Opinion, Classic Music Magazine, can be found on-line at http://www.musicalopinion.com
Festival Images
Here are some pictures taken during the week at the Virtuoso Violin Festival. Mostly these are at work or performing – but there was a lot of fun taking place as well!
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The 2011 Festival closed with a bang!
What a Concert!
This was a truly amazing finale to the 10th Bach & Paganini Festival! The festival students made up the violin section of the Stratford Virtuosi Orchestra while professional musicians were brought in complete the ensemble. They started with Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 3 in G and this was followed by the Concerto for 4 violins, Op 3, No 10 in B Minor by Vivaldi. The four violin soloists were Joo Yeon Sir (Korea), Francois Pineau-Benois (France), Charlotte Beresford (UK) and John Garner (UK). The next piece was Rounds by David Diamond before an interval which gave the audience time to mingle, and absorb the atmosphere of the lovely Holy Trinity Church which is the parish church of Stratford-upon-Avon and the burial place of William Shakespeare.
During the second half of the concert the orchestra performed Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 in A major. The Mayor Elect, Stratford-upon-Avon, Councillor Edward Keith Ward (seen above) gave a speech thanking the international students, music and festival director, teachers and professional musicians for such a wonderful performance.
This is a good opportunity to thank Charlotte Beresford for all her hard work leading up to, and during the festival. She is the quiet but busy Festival Administrator (seen on the left) behind the scenes who makes sure everyone is OK, people are in the right place at the right time, music is available, accommodation comfortable, programmes get printed etc. etc. Charlotte you are a star! We would also like to thanks others as well who quietly work behind the scenes including Lesley, Etta and David.
Watch out for further information on the 11th Bach & Paganini Festival in August 2012!
Festival Participants performed a final recital
Festival Participants performed a final recital unaccompanied and with piano last night (Saturday 6th August).
This was a really exciting concert performed by young people from Sweden, France, UK, Russia, Taiwan and Korea.
Councillor Eric Payne, Chair of the Stratford District Council expressed his pleasure at being in the audience for this event and thanked all the participants, accompanists and tutors for their hard work culminating in such a wonderful recital.
We hope you will be able to join us for our final concert on Monday 8th August in the Holy Trinity Church at 8 p.m.
Posted in Events, Performances, Virtuoso Violin Festival | 
Tags: Rimma Sushanskaya, Students, Virtuoso Violin Festival | 
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All geared up!
Another good day in Stratford yesterday. It might have rained but it didn’t stop everyone working hard and playing hard and Rimma was heard to say that life in Stratford at the moment was ‘crazy but exciting!’. Last night there was a party at Rimma’s home and students from France, Russia, Sweden and the UK enjoyed the entertainment which included the ever popular ‘ping-pong‘!
Posted in Virtuoso Violin Festival | Tags: rehearsing, Rimma Sushanskaya, Students, Virtuoso Violin Festival | No Comments »
Festival Update!
Everyone is working very hard at the Virtuoso Violin Festival with individual sessions with the professors in the morning and an orchestra rehearsal each afternoon/evening.
It is lovely to walk around and listen to the music, and it gives you more than just a hint that the forthcoming concerts on Saturday (6th) and Monday (8th) are going to be exciting and most enjoyable.
There is plenty of time for students to fit in sight seeing and shopping in the lovely Stratford-upon-Avon and we are keeping our fingers crossed that the rain is here for only one day and the sun will return soon.
Fantastic opening concert!
The Virtuoso Violin Festival was opened on Sunday evening with a recital by Rimma Sushanskaya in Stratford-upon-Avon. The concert commenced with some lovely Bach and Paganini solo pieces, performed by Rimma Sushanskaya which was a great beginning to this, the 10th Bach and Paganini Festival. During the second half, Rimma was joined by Robert Markham (piano) and Steve Collisson (cello) who played the Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Piazzolla and as an encore played La muerte del angel, also by Piazzolla. A very enjoyable evening!
Posted in Events, Performances, Virtuoso Violin Festival | Tags: Concert, Performance, Rimma Sushanskaya, Virtuoso Violin Festival | No Comments »
