Introducing the performers…

Laura van der Heijden (cello)

Winner of the BBC Young Musician Competition in 2012, cellist Laura van der Heijden has already made a name for herself as a very special emerging talent. Born in England in 1997 as the youngest daughter of a Dutch father and a Swiss mother, Laura’s musical studies started on recorder at the age of four. After learning with Marina Logie on cello, Laura had gained ABRSM grade 8 distinctions on both cello and piano by the age of ten.

Laura’s first public performance as a cellist was at the age of 9 with the Jupiter Chamber Orchestra. From 2005 to 2014 Laura was a student at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, where she learned piano with Emily Jeffrey and participated in many ensembles. Laura has been a student of the renowned British-Russian cellist Leonid Gorokhov and has participated in masterclasses with David Geringas, Ralph Kirshbaum and Miklós Perényi.

Laura has already had many prizes and awards bestowed on her. At the age of 15, she was awarded the title of BBC Young Musician 2012, performing Walton’s Cello Concerto with Kirill Karabits and the Northern Sinfonia at The Sage, Gateshead. In 2010 she won “First Prize with Distinction” and a special prize in the final of the Swiss National Youth Music Competition, which led to her performing the Boccherini Cello Concerto in G with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra at Zurich Tonhalle. She was also the 2011 winner of the Marjorie Humby competition at the Royal College of Music, the 2011 Beckenham Musician of the Year and 2012 Woking Young Musician of the Year. She was awarded the Director’s Prize (2012) and more recently the Esther Coleman Prize (2014) for outstanding contributions to the RCM Junior Department. In September 2014 Laura was awarded the Landgraf von Hessen Prize at the Kronberg Academy’s prestigious international masterclasses.

In recent years, Laura made her debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and with Sinfonia Cymru in Shostakvich’s Cello Concerto. She also performed the Elgar concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as part of World War I anniversary concerts, with the European Union Chamber Orchestra and with the London Mozart Players who recently named her “Young Artist in Residence”. In between she gave many sold-out recitals, particularly in the UK but also abroad, with pianists Tom Poster and Alison Rhind.

The beauty of Laura van der Heijden’s playing lies in the fact that she has a wonderful expressivity, but never, ever overdoes it, and the pianissimo ending of the concerto was enchanting, ending with just the solo cello, captivating the audience…”

Bachtrack, May 2012

“…a completely extraordinary performance of incredible creative intensity…”

Nicholas Daniel, BBC Radio 3, May 2012

“…mesmerising performance of the rarely-played Walton Cello Concerto…

The Times, May 2012

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Petr Limonov (piano)

Petr Limonov studied at Moscow’s Central Music School under the guidance of Siavush Gadjiev, Valery Piasetsky and Andrei Pisarev. After winning First Prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition (Paris, 1998), Petr started giving concerts throughout Europe and Russia supported by the Vladimir Spivakov Foundation. He went on to study with Hamish Milne and Alexander Satz at the Royal Academy of Music on a full scholarship and, later, at the Royal College of Music with Dimitry Alexeev, completing his Masters in 2012. During his studies Petr also took part in masterclasses given by Alfred Brendel, Stephen Hough, Vitaly Margulis and Stephen Kovacevich.

Petr’s notable appearances as a soloist and chamber musician include Wigmore Hall, La Roque d’Antheron festival (broadcast by radio France Musique), iTunes Festival 2014, Cadogan Hall, Purcell Room, St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, a recital in The Duke’s Hall in the presence of HRH Prince Charles, CD recordings for Onyx (with Leonard Elschenbroich) and Decca (with Nicola Benedetti); TV appearances for BBC Proms Extra, Newsnight, BBC Breakfast and broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and “Culture” TV channel (Russia). In November 2013 Petr made his conducting début at Cadogan Hall with London International Chamber Orchestra, directing works by Glazunov and Rachmaninov. His repertoire ranges from Orlando Gibbons to Arvo Pärt.

“…Petr Limonov, avec un détachement apparent, a joué les morceaux les plus ardus avec une aisance incroyable, une simplicité et une sincérité parfaite.”

La Nouvelle République

“Artistic, mature and utterly compelling playing…”

Carole Pressland

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Performing…

August 5, 2018 at 11:15

  • Bach: Sonata no 1 in G major, BWV 1027
  • Beethoven: Sonata no 2 in A major, op 2, no 2
  • Schnittke: Cello Sonata no 1

Book Tickets by Telephone

Prices

  • Adults – £12.00
  • Children 11-17 – £6.00
  • Children 5-10 – Free (Please note: we do not admit children under five years old)

Call +44 7518 479062 to reserve tickets in advance

(Please note: Tickets reserved by telephone will be held at the door on the day until 11:00 only.)

More Venue & Ticketing Information

Click here for information on the Holywell Music Room, purchasing tickets from resellers and where to get your complimentary cup of coffee.