Saturday / Sunday April 18-19, 2020
Time: 10am-4:30pm
Venue: University of Chichester
- Workshops
- Masterclasses
- Cello orchestra
- Chamber music
The Chichester Cello Weekend, organised by Professor Laura Ritchie, brings cellists keen to develop their performing skills, technique, and musical appreciation together for a remarkable weekend of music making. All music is arranged to suit participants’ individual levels, and everyone plays in a fantastic cello-orchestra that rehearses throughout the two days. Sunday’s 4:30pm gala concert is open to friends and family.
Music includes from arrangements of popular hits to Bach to a contemporary gamified piece of music by Rebecca Askew and a special commission for the group by Bruno Newman. Participants will have opportunities to work with composers, to play solos for our guest artists: Ivana Peranic and Emma Collingham, and to participate in workshops on working with an accompanist and chamber music, where they can experience playing with a piano trio.
Participant fees: £35 students, £55 adults. Book online: http://bit.ly/CelloWE2020
For more information contact Laura on l.ritchie@chi.ac.uk
Some more specifics:
During the weekend we will begin with everyone playing as an orchestra and throughout the two days there will be different sessions to break up the day. During these sessions participants will have a choice of exploring sessions. People may choose to play (literally) Rebecca Askew’s composition or to attend a workshop by Ben Lathbury on working with an accompanist, or to slot into the cellist’s chair and play with the Chichester Chamber Ensemble (Laura’s trio with Ben Lathbury and Nataly Corolscaia). There will be multiple masterclass sessions to watch or participate in and chamber music opportunities for all to play trios and quartets with other participants and music will be provided.
After registering online, I will contact participants to get details about playing level, whether people would like to play in the masterclasses, and any special needs or requests for the weekend. All music will be sent out in advance so people can have a look and feel comfortable with their parts.
Parking is free at the University at the weekend. If you need overnight parking, I will have to arrange this – contact me! If you are traveling from afar, there are great B&Bs locally via AirB&B. Participants bring their own lunches and drinks, and I provide healthy snacks.
Details about our guests are below. 🙂
If you have any questions, please do contact me!
I know this is going to be a great weekend!
Laura 🌸
Guest artist Ivana Peranic
has performed as a soloist and member of various ensembles, in many notable venues, such as Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall, LSO St Luke’s and St James Piccadilly; and has recorded in Abbey Road and AIR Studios. Her recent recitals have been hailed by independent critics as “glowing”, and her tone “powerful, with a terrific lower register… resonant, suggestive of powerful reserves – sweeping musical argument with uninhibited, consummate technique”. An avid performer, Ivana has given solo and chamber music recitals across the South East, recorded for Classic FM, and premiered pieces by contemporary classical composers. Following her passion for education, Ivana has served as a visiting cello teacher at the University of Chichester, where she is also coaching for the Symphony Orchestra. She has given masterclasses at the University of Sussex, and taught advanced cello programme and coached the Brighton Youth Orchestra for the Brighton and Hove Music and Arts.
Ivana has previously served as Principal cellist for the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bosnia&Herzegovina’s top state orchestra. The Sarajevo Philharmonic is based out of the National Theatre in Sarajevo, and in addition to symphonic repertoire, it supports all the opera and ballet performances throughout the season. In addition to her five-year engagement with the Philharmonic, Ivana has lead the Sarajevo Chamber Orchestra, and has been fortunate to perform alongside many prominent artists, such as Riccardo Muti, Denyce Graves, Zeljko Lucic, and Alena Baeva, among others. In 2009, she was invited to join the Balkan Chamber Orchestra by the ensemble’s conductor and leader, Toshio Yanagisawa, and subsequently performed in Vienna’s Musikverein, Tokyo’s Kioi Hall, Belgrade’s Kolarac Hall and other prestigious venues across Europe and Japan. Her final performances with the BCO included the 2015 World Peace concert in Belgrade, featuring the international soloist Akiko Suwanai on violin.
A native of Bosnia&Herzegovina, Ivana completed her Bachelors and Masters studies at the Music Academy of Sarajevo, under careful tutelage of Prof. Yevgeny Xaviereff. During her studies, she was awarded full scholarship to participate in ISA Summer Academy in Semmering, Austria, and the Austria Baroque Academy. In 2010 and 2011, she was a member of the Maribor International Orchestra in Slovenia on tour of Slovenia, Austria and Italy, which included performances with Wolfram Christ as soloist. Ivana was awarded First and Special prize at the II International Chamber music competition in Sarajevo for her performance with Bosnian pianist and recording artist Aida Musanovic – Arsic. In 2016, she completed an Artist Diploma at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London under the tutelage of David Kenedy, generously supported by the Ofenheim Trust and the Conservatoire. During this time, she was a recipient of Richard Carne Fellowship for string quartets, and the John Thompson String Prize with the Kodo Quartet.
Ivana currently lives in Brighton with her husband Martin, and enjoys baking, hiking and LEGO
Guest Artist Emma Collingham
Emma is, along with her two sisters, a founding member of Sorrelli Strings who are a professional string trio performing regularly in the UK, Europe, and as far as Korea. Sorrelli have toured as backing strings for groups such as G4 (X Factor), The Twelve Irish Tenors, and Thomas Spencer, as well as alongside such artists as Leslie Garrett, Merrill Osmond, Blake, and Camilla Karslake.
Emma has been a teacher of ‘cello for 18 years within both state and private schools, music centres, colleges and a university as well as privately, and has been a regular teacher at the Oxford Cello School summer courses for the past 6 years.
Ben Lathbury, Pianist
Ben Lathbury is an award-winning musician, originally from the Midlands. Following early success in numerous competitions, Ben moved to Sussex in 2006 to study at the University of Chichester, where he established himself as a pianist of considerable talent.
In 2009, Ben received a scholarship to fund his Master’s degree in Music Performance, studying with international pianist Jonathan Plowright. Since its completion, Ben has won a number of competitions, given dozens of solo recitals and has appeared as a special guest soloist with orchestras across the UK. He has been recognised as a champion of 20th century American repertoire; his interpretation of Leroy Anderson’s Concerto in C garnered critical acclaim and his performances of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue earned him a nomination for “Best Classical Act” in the 2017 Guide Awards and have been hailed as “magnificent”.
In addition to his talent as a pianist, Ben is widely respected as a choral conductor, organist, and singer. Recent engagements have included performances of Handel’s Messiah, Vierne’s Messe Solennelle, Fauré’s & Rutter’s Requiems, Stainer’s Crucifixion and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Sorcerer. He is Director of Music at Holy Trinity Church in Bosham and Musical Director for a number of local choral groups. In 2016, Ben founded the Music in Bosham recital series and in May 2018 he was appointed to the post of Musical Director for Portsmouth Festival Choir. In 2019 he became an Associate Lecturer in Piano and in Magic at the University of Chichester.
Today, Ben lives in Rose Green with his wife Megan, stepson Dylan, their dog Hermione and their two cats, Persephone & Ozymandias. In his spare time, Ben enjoys theatre, chess, writing and computer programming. He has a particular passion for choral and piano music featured in video games and often incorporates such works into his programmes.
Natalia Corolscaia, violin
Natalia Corolscaia started to play the violin at the age of 7, having her first lessons at the prestigious Musical Lyceum “Sergei Rachmaninov” in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. In that time she took part at numerous concerts and music festivals as a soloist, quartet and orchestra member. After successfully graduating, Natalia obtained a full scholarship at the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts, “Gavriil Musicescu”, in Chisinau, in the class of Angela Molodojan, Maestro in Arts of the Republic of Moldova. She graduated with a Licentiate Diploma in Higher Education Music. Shortly afterwards, Natalia started working in the National Opera and Ballet Theatre, as a violinist in the orchestra. She performed with the orchestra in Germany, Spain, France, Belgium and Switzerland.
In 2016, Natalia was offered a full scholarship at the University of Chichester, and successfully graduated with a Masters Degree in Advanced Music Performance, under the tutorship of Oxana Dodon and Eulalie Charland. In a short period of time, she took part in a masterclass with Zoltan Tacacz (principal first violin at the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Helsinki) and James Dickenson (Leader of the Villiers Quartet), and Emilian Dascal (solo viola at Sinfonierorchester St. Gallen). Natalia has recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios and has also had numerous performances with the University of Chichester orchestras, in Carousel and Cinderella, and has lead the University Orchestra in collaboration with the Hannover Band.