Welcome from Tim Lowe
(Artistic Director)
It is always gratifying when my colleagues and fellow musicians agree to come to York for the festival. “..really looking forward to it, Tim” They are from the top draw of string playing anywhere in the world and not forgetting the wonderful pianist Katya Apekisheva.
The programme this year features the music of Mendelssohn and Brahms. Among other items we are going to play their wonderfully tuneful string quintets. The festival also encompasses every combination of instruments – ranging from solo cello (Adrian Brendel’s lunchtime recital), duo partnership (me and Katya’ lunchtime), quartets and quintets …and not forgetting Mendelssohn’s piano trio in D minor (in the concert on Saturday evening). Schumann said ‘This is the master trio of our age’ and I might add of any age!
Solo, duo, trio, quartet, quintet… it’s all happening at York Chamber Music Festival!
It is also gratifying to receive audience feedback; this message came to me after last year’s festival:
“What spontaneity, what passion, what delight in collective music-making, what beauty! They listen and respond to each other, play for, and to, and with their friends (as they so obviously are), sharing their pleasure with us - and we are privileged to overhear that love for and engagement with the music, true chamber-music playing. “
The Festival Artists are raring to go. It is true that chamber music is for musicians a satisfying medium because of its intimacy between us and… how to say…that we enjoy sparking off each other knowing that we all share what I call ‘core skills’. And we enjoy being close to you, the audience; so it is true that we hope you sense this idea of sharing.
I hope you enjoy reading through the programme and will come to as many of the five concerts as possible. (note the £15 discount for the ‘all concerts pass’) Meanwhile, have a good summer, stay safe and well and I look forward to seeing you 11 - 13 September in York.
Please spread the word and encourage friends and contacts who don’t know about York Chamber Music Festival to sign up to our email list to receive news, occasional posts about highlights in the festival, composers and further information (nothing else).
Under 18’s and Students FREE entry to all events.
One of the core aims of York Chamber Music Festival is to bring a new generation of young people to open up to chamber music.
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