Up Close and Musical

Up Close & Musical - Lucy Schaufer

Violist Shiry Rashkovsky’s festival Up Close and Musical returns to Fidelio Café for three Wednesday evenings in October, with each night pairing an early evening recital with a more relaxed late evening event, along with interviews with the artists.

The festival is opened by mezzo-soprano Lucy Schaufer, pianist Ben Dawson and Trio Klein for a programme inspired by the power and majesty of storms including music by Deborah Pritchard, Jocelyn Pook, Georgia Stitt and Amanda McBroom, as well as the world premiere of Stephen Barber’s A Ride in a Helium Balloon, commissioned Schaufer’s Wild Plum Arts which supports livings artists in the creation of new work.

The other early evening concerts are Chi-chi Nwanoku, double bass and Chineke! soloists in music by Florence Price alongside Schubert's Trout Quintet, and Esther Abrami, violin and Alexandra Whittingham, guitar in Piazzolla's L'histoire du Tango plus music by Falla, Paganini and Sarasate.

Late evening events encompass a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film Chevalier with violinist Ronald Long, followed by a performance of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ Symphonie Concertante for Two Violins and a screening of the film, vocalist Alice Zawadzki, Misha Mullov-Abbado, bass and Fred Thomas, piano/drums in an eclectic programme spanning folk, indie and world music, and a celebration of October House Records with Héloïse Werner, vocals/cello, Shri Sriram, bass guitar/Indian flute and Max Baillie, violin/viola in music by Love Ssega, Jasmin Kent Rodgman and Max Baillie.

Full details from the Fidelio Cafe website.