Lunchtime Concert: Harold Gordon-Smith & Matthieu Esnult, guitar and piano

TUE 21 FEB, 13.05

Take time out this lunchtime for a performance by Trinity Laban alum Harold Gordon-Smith and Matthieu Esnult in the beautiful surroundings of the Old Royal Naval College Chapel.

J.S Bach
BWV 996 Lute Suite in E minor
I. Prelude & Presto
II. Allemande
III. Gigue

Alberto Ginastera
Sonata for guitar
I. Esordio
II. Finally

Debussy
Arabesque No. 1

Liszt
Rêve d’Amour

Wagner/Liszt
Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde

Anton Diabelli
Grande Sonate Brillante movement 1

J.S Bach
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

Schubert
Arpeggione Sonata (excerpt)

"International prize winning classical guitarist Harold Gordon-Smith is unique for his exciting and colourful playing, complimented by an expansive and varied repertoire."
Born in London, 1994. He began as a self-taught guitarist through to his undergraduate degree where he studied under Graham Devine. Harold is now an award-winning classical guitarist and has performed in master classes with many of the world’s top classical guitarists - David Russel, Marcin Dylla and Roberto Aussel. From Trinity Laban, Harold was awarded his master’s degree with Distinction. His career has taken him performing through Wigmore Hall, Queens House and across Europe, from Vienna to Portugal. Although, this is only the start of Harold’s traveling, as he was recently accepted as a performing artist on the Carnival Cruise Ships. Harold is gaining international recognition and has recently won Second Prize in the ‘Euro Strings’ Sarajevo International Guitar Competition, has previously been awarded the Cleve Montague Prize and also received first place in the Alison Stevens Competition for plucked strings. Harold’s love of J.S Bach and arranging has led to collaborations with the Netherlands Bach Society and famous jazz singer, Youtuber Aimee Noltie and he has also worked with some of the top sopranos including Amelia Berridge and Sam Cobb from the Monteverdi choir. Harold has performed as an artist at the Greenwich Guitar Festival and is regularly invited to give a concert demonstrating the instruments of the guest guitar makers. Early Music Direct are also in touch with Harold asking him to make videos demonstrating their high-end baroque and romantic guitars. Harold was also known for his love of parkour and gymnastics, as a founder of the London parkour scene, he has worked as a stunt double in music videos for ‘Foals’ and ‘Tempertrap’. It is possible to follow Harold’s classical guitar and parkour work on his Instagram account here.

Matthieu Esnult is a young and vibrant French pianist and professional accompanist at Trinity Laban. After studying at the École Normale de Musique de Paris "Alfred Cortot" in Paris, he moved to London to continue his studies at Trinity Laban with Mikhail Kazakevich. He obtained a Master in Piano with Distinction in 2013 and an Artist Diploma with Distinction in 2015. While studying at Trinity Laban, Matthieu Esnult won many prizes at esteemed competitions, including CATAVINA Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition, Lilian Ash French Song Duo Competition, Elizabeth Schumann Duo Competition for Lieder, Trinity Laban Founders Prize for Accompanist and a TCM Trust Scholarship. Matthieu since has been performing in over 5 continents and 50 countries, including New York Carnegie Hall, London Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall, St John Smith Square, as well as extensive touring in China and India.
With a special interest for the vocal repertoire, he has performed with numerous singers such as Christa Ludwig and Joan Rodgers, and he was an accompanist for the masterclass of Felicity Lott, François Le Roux, Ian Partridge and Wendy Eathorne.
Matthieu has been invited to give and accompany masterclasses in France, the UK, Tunisia, Scotland, America, China and Mongolia. He has been featured in broadcasts and interviews on Television and radio networks including BBC Radio 3, France Culture, on French national television France 3, Radio Tunisie and the Chinese National Television and Radio. Passionate about arts and humanities, Matthieu also holds degrees in Musicology, Literature and Philosophy from the Sorbonne University.


Old Royal Naval College Chapel
Admission FREE, no booking required