64th Season
From October 2017 to March 2018
Wihan Quartet
Saturday 14th October 2017, 7.30pm
Berkhamsted Civic Centre
Leoš Cepický | Violin |
Jan Schulmeister | Violin |
Jakub Cepický | Viola |
Michal Kaňka | Cello |
Mozart | String Quartet No 15 in D minor K421 |
Schubert | String Quartet No 12 in C minor D703 ‘Quartettsatz’ |
Dvořák | String Quartet No 11 in C major Op 61 |
The Wihan Quartet has been described by International Record Review as one of the best quartets in the world today. Since winning the London International String Quartet Competition in 1991 they have developed an impressive international career, which includes visits to major festivals in Europe and the Far East.
The quartet’s discs of Beethoven, Schubert and Dvorak received many accolades including ‘Recording of the Year’ by MusicWeb. Dvořák’s Op 61 was described in BBC Music Magazine as ‘the best recorded performance I’ve encountered’ and the quartet’s CD release, of Schubert Quartets was awarded ‘Outstanding’ by International Record Review and ‘Recommended’ by The Strad.
After 32 years in the Wihan, cellist Aleš Kaspřík has decided to step down. The Quartet has been very fortunate to find Michal Kaňka, cellist with the Pražák Quartet, to take his place.

Mishka Rushdie Momen (piano)
Saturday 18th November 2017, 7.30pm
Berkhamsted Civic Centre
Bach | Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor BWV903 |
Janacek | In the Mists |
Schubert | Wanderer Fantasy in C major D760 |
Schumann | Variations on an Original Theme in E flat major |
Schumann | Sonata No 1 in F sharp minor Op 11 |
Mishka Rushdie Momen, born in London 1992, studied with Joan Havill and Imogen Cooper at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has also periodically studied with Richard Goode. She has been invited by Sir András Schiff to give recitals in Zurich, New York, Antwerp and several cities in Germany and Italy for his 2016-17 “Building Bridges” Series. She played in the 2016 Marlboro and Krzyzowa Music Festivals and participated in the International Musicians Seminar in Prussia Cove, Cornwall. Mishka will release her first commercial recording this year appearing as one of the soloists in Mozart’s Triple Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In November 2014, Mishka Rushdie Momen was unanimously voted the 1st Prize winner of the Dudley International Piano Competition and in the same year she won 2nd Prize at the Cologne International Piano Competition.

Chroma
Saturday 2nd December 2017, 7.30pm
Berkhamsted Civic Centre
Matthew Sharp | Storyteller, Bass baritone and Cellist |
Stuart King | Clarinet |
Milos Milivojevic | Accordion |
David Le Page | Violin |
Clare O’Connell | Cello |
Rimsky Korsakov | Christmas Eve Suite and Snowmaiden Suite (excerpts) |
Tchaikovsky | Cherevichki (The Tsarina’s Slippers) (excerpts) |
Arensky | Quartet in A minor Op 35 for violin, viola and 2 cellos 1st mvt |
Glazunov | Eastern Romance |
Cesar Cui | Ti i Vi |
Tchaikovsky | Otchevo from 6 Romances for Bass Baritone |
Rachmaninov | In the silence of the night |
Borodin | For the shores of your distant homeland |
The Night Before Christmas
A magical retelling of Nikolai Gogol’s story “The Night Before Christmas”, interwoven with a ravishing selection of Russian and Ukrainian music and song. This uproarious tale tells of the blacksmith Vakula’s battle with the devil, who has stolen the moon and hidden it in his pocket. Vakula is in love with the beautiful Oksana but she will not marry him unless he brings her the Tsarina’s slippers. Now he needs the devil’s help …
Multitalented bass baritone, cellist and storyteller Matthew Sharp joins Chroma musicians to tell the story in words, song and music. The programme includes Ukrainian carols and Ukrainian folk music together with…

Goldberg Trio
Sponsored by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 7.30pm
Berkhamsted Civic Centre
Alexandra Lomeiko | Violin |
Ugne Tiskute | Viola |
Tatiana Chernyshova | Cello |
Schubert | String Trio in B flat D471 |
Beethoven | String Trio in G major Op 9 No 1 |
Bach | Goldberg Variations for String Trio BWV 988 |
www.alexandralomeiko.com
www.ugnetiskute.com
www.tatiana-cello.com
www.munstertrust.org.uk
This concert is a rare opportunity to hear the string trio arrangement by Dimitri Sitkovetsky of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The Goldberg Trio was founded in 2015 by Alexandra Lomeiko, Ugne Tiskute and Tatiana Chernyshova and since then has performed throughout the UK. The Trio met while studying in London and in June 2016, at the request of the Tilford Bach Society, came together to play the Sitkovetsky arrangement. This was composed in 1984 following the release of the Glenn Gould recording of the Variations in 1981, and was popularised through the virtuosity of Sitkovetsky and his friends who have played it all over the world.

Alauda Quartet
Saturday 3rd March 2018, 7.30pm
Berkhamsted Civic Centre
Cristina Prats-Costa | Violin |
Milan Berginc | Violin |
Mari Adachi | Viola |
Elena Cappelletti | Cello |
Mozart | String Quartet No 19 in C major K465 ‘Dissonance’ |
Webern | Langsamer Satz |
Borodin | String Quartet No 2 in D major |
The Alauda Quartet was formed at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2011. They were selected as Park Lane Group artists in 2015 and as Concert Artists with Making Music for 2016-17. They made their debut recital at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing in 2014. During their time at the Royal Academy they studied with Jon Thorn and had masterclasses with eminent quartets including the Belcea, Artemis, Endellion and Emerson.
The Alauda Quartet is involved in several educational projects across the UK. They were appointed Young Professional String Quartet in residence at Pro Corda in 2013 and give workshops at public schools through the Westminster Music Service.
