Lunchtime Concert: Strings Duos

FRI 20 MAY 13.05

Take time out this lunchtime for a performance by Trinity Laban students Amelia Callard, cello, Katarzyna Franczak, violin sharing a programme accompanied by pianist Irina Lyakhovskaya in the beautiful surroundings of the Old Royal Naval College Chapel.

KATARZYNA FRANCZAK & IRINA LYAKHOVSKAYA
Elgar
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op.82
I. Allegro. Risoluto
II. Romance. Andante
III. Allegro non troppo

AMELIA CALLARD & IRINA LYAKHOVSKAYA
Franck
Sonata for Cello and Piano 
I. Allegretto ben moderato
II. Allegro
III. Recitativo-Fantasia. Ben moderato-Molto lento
IV. Allegretto poco mosso

Amelia Callard is a fourth-year undergraduate cellist at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She was awarded the Gladys Bratton Scholarship based on her audition for the Conservatoire and now studies full time with renowned soloist David Cohen. As a cellist, Amelia performs regularly in a variety of professional settings; from session work to having premiered multiple original pieces for solo cello and orchestra. She has played with orchestras such as the Hornton Chamber Orchestra, Ernest Reed Symphony Orchestra, Musicians of All-Saints and the Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra. Chamber music is a particular strength and passion for Amelia. Over the past few years she has taken part in many different chamber groups and currently plays and regularly performs with her string quartet: Lewes String Quartet who work closely with renowned musicians Rivka Golani and Nic Pendlebury and have released multiple professional recordings on YouTube. Amelia is also a keen composer and arranger of music of a variety of genres; as well as classical she also enjoys writing for and regularly performing with her alt/pop band Naked Brunch - which she plays cello also sings for. Her eclectic music taste and musicality gives her cello performance it’s rich and expressive depth.

In 2014, Katarzyna Franczak was a member of the Youth Chamber Orchestra, Szczecińska Młodzieżowa Orkiestra Kameralna. She played alongside the Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestra and the Szczecin Opera House. In the UK, Katarzyna has played with members of the BBC Concert Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony and RPO at the Dorset Opera Festival. Katarzyna studied at Trinity Laban with Gillian Findlay and John Crawford. She is continuing her studies with Jan Schmolck. Since May 2021, Katarzyna has been working as a part of The Benedetti Foundation as a Teaching Ambassador. Katarzyna has been awarded Ofenheim and Trinity College London Scholarship to support her postgraduate studies.

Irina Lyakhovskaya was born in St Petersburg, Russia. She graduated from the St Petersburg Conservatoire in 1999, where she studied with Alexander Sandler. In 2000, she was invited to continue her studies in England as a postgraduate scholar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (then known as Trinity College of Music) with John Bingham. In 2003, Irina won first prize in the TCM Association’s Soloist Competition with her interpretation of the Schumann Piano Concerto. Since then, she has given many performances at leading international venues including the Philharmonic Hall in St Petersburg, Smetana Hall in Prague and the Coliseum in Porto. In the UK, she has appeared at the Southbank Centre, Symphony Hall, St John’s Smith Square and Cadogan Hall performing solo recitals and as the concerto soloist in Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov concertos. Her work has also been broadcast on BBC television and radio. An active chamber musician, Irina performs internationally with violinist Eleanor Percy, with whom she has given numerous recitals at the Wigmore Hall in London. They have recorded sonatas by Brahms and Prokofiev for the ImLab label, and the complete Mozart sonatas for Melodiya. Currently, Irina is artist in residence at Eastbourne Arts Centre where she is performing the complete Beethoven piano sonatas in eight concerts. Irina has worked at Trinity Laban as a professional accompanist since 2002.

Old Royal Naval College Chapel
Admission free, no ticket required