Piano trio play the old and the new

The Concert

Nicholas Maw, who died two years ago, wrote the piece that Musica Viva will play for an opera based on the film Sophie’s Choice in 2002. It was first performed in Covent Garden. The piece is now rarely performed and it has been described as one that people will respond to, according to organiser Peter Reynolds.

Peter, who is also a part-time lecturer at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, says, “It’s one of the real contemporary classics of chamber music from the last twenty years and it’s great to be able to present it, because it is not performed that often.”

Musica Viva is an ensemble of musicians who share a passionate enthusiasm for nineteenth-century music, but who are also interested in new music and try to combine the two when they play.

Pianist Simon Phillippo describes Nicholas’s piece as life-affirming, in a modern and challenging way.

He says, “Maw was always looking for ways of reconnecting with the older tradition and our programme provides exactly this kind of connection.”

The series of coffee concerts at the museum, where the piece will be played, welcomes young people and is free for anyone up to the age of 25.

The concert will start at 11.30am on December 11 and will last for about an hour.

Advance tickets are £8.80 for adults and £6.60 for concessions, with a small amount available on the day for £10. Tickets are available from the New Theatre on 02920 878889.

New band perform classic and new pieces

Musicians Simon Phillippo, David Adams and Rosie Biss will perform a classic and a newer piece at Cardiff Museum’s Coffee Concerts (Photo credits: Peter Reynolds)

Members of the Welsh National Opera will perform a new piece next month, at Cardiff Museum.

Musica Viva, a newly-formed piano trio, will play a classical piece by Schumann and a newer piece by Nicholas Maw on December 11.

The group is made up of pianist Simon Phillippo, conductor of the Welsh National Opera, violinist David Adams, leader of the orchestra, and principal cellist Rosie Biss.

The group are very interested in new music and combine this with their passion for the more classical pieces.

Simon says, of Nicholas’s piece, “I hope we will show our audience what an outstanding piece of music it is and that they might want to hear it again. It is extremely demanding to play, but also very rewarding.”