This series of Spotlight Chamber Concerts concludes with three of Bach’s Cello Suites performed by the star French cellist Bruno Philippe, of whom Gramophone Magazine writes, “his tone is simply glorious”. Philippe’s recording of the complete Bach Cello Suites will be released by prestigious label Harmonia Mundi later in 2022. Spotlight Chamber Concerts brings some of the world’s finest classical musicians to Cecil Sharp House for its third series. With the audience seated in the dark and in the round, and dramatic lighting centred only on the performers, this series of outstanding concerts and recitals is the ideal place to focus solely on the immersive experience of live music. “An unforgettable experience … a bright light in a dim world” (Audience feedback) “Immersive and dramatic” Opera Today Programme: Bach, Suite No.1 in G major, BWV 1007 Bach, Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 1010 Bach, Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011

The Susanne Beer Cello Corner Foundation is hosting a cello masterclass with Penny Driver at St James' Islington on Saturday March 19th, from 10-12:45. We are looking for six cellists to take part in the masterclass. The cost is £40 for performers, £10 for observers (this means a student cellist) and free for all parents and guardians. Each participant will have 25 minutes to perform their piece and have a public lesson with Penny, plus observe the other five lessons. The piece should be roughly 5 minutes or can be part of a longer piece or movement. The pianist is Yoko Misumi of the Greenwich Trio and her fee on the day is included in the cost. An advance rehearsal can be arranged directly with Yoko Misumi at additional cost. Please send either a recommendation from your teacher or a video of yourself to [email protected] Deadline for entry is March the 9th. We hope many of you will apply and also attend as it should be a great day for all aspiring cellists. Penny Driver is a recitalist, chamber musician and orchestral cellist. She was Co-principal with Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and plays regularly with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She is cellist of Ostara Chamber Players, who began giving concerts in a Finsbury Park front garden during the first lockdown and now give occasional Sunday morning concerts in the Park Theatre. Penny teaches at Wells Cathedral School, one of the UK’s five specialist music schools, where she attracts students internationally, many of whom go on to win scholarships to the major conservatoires in London, Europe and the USA. She is regularly invited to give performance classes to undergraduate and masters students at the Royal Academy of Music and was for many years Professor of Cello at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. Penny is a dedicated chamber music teacher too, both as part of her work at Wells and in London where she co-directs con spirito chamber music Sundays (www.conspirito.co.uk) together with pianist Tamar Andrusier. Penny studied the cello with Ralph Kirshbaum, whilst taking a degree in Russian at Cambridge University, and as a postgraduate at the Royal Northern College of Music. She was awarded a Countess of Munster scholarship to study with Marc Johnson of the Vermeer Quartet in the USA where she was a finalist in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s concerto competition. She completed her studies in Moscow with legendary Russian teacher Natalia Shakhovskaya. http://www.pennydriver.co.uk/

COMPETITION for the loan of two valuable mid-19thC cellos to advanced cellists. Both cellos are mature instruments with powerful tone. A) Collin-Mezin ‘Rothermere’ cello,without bow. Hear it here https://youtu.be/7JwcC6m1jdc B) ‘Rocke’ cello attr. G Corsby with Buthod bow. Hear it here https://youtu.be/c_sKucI8sNI T&C. Entrants must be first study cellists aged 15-25, at (or intending to study at) a music college or university based within 200 miles of London. The loan is offered for five years, with an annual charge of £600pa, including insurance. Entries by 31 Dec 2021. £15 entry fee. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an audition on their preferred cello in London in mid-January. Further details online at http://cherubimtrust.org/cello-competition

Following on from the live discussion between Peter Blackaby and Ruth Phillips for the London Cello Society on October 3, Ruth Phillips and Jane Fenton (who trained to become a yoga teacher with Peter) are delighted to finally be together again LIVE, through the European String Teachers' Association, sharing what they love best: The Breath! In this one-day workshop for string players, they will offer simple mindfulness and yoga-based practices that have completely transformed their own experience of practice and performance. Together they will invite you to explore the vital balance between tension and release, planning and the present moment, doing and non-doing, all through the window of this great and simple teacher within us – the inhale and the exhale. We hope you will leave the workshop feeling calmer, refreshed and more embodied, ready to re-enter your musical life with joy, ease and confidence.

The 3rd WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST 2021 in London You are invited to the 3rd WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST 2021 in London. As in previous years there will be WFCF Cello Concerts, Underground Lunchtime Recitals (in the historic Victoria Line carriage), Cello Weekend, Make Music Day and Cello Academy (all ages and abilities are welcome!). Events will be held mainly online in June 2021. Book your tickets now via Eventbrite here: https://WalthamForestCelloFest.eventbrite.com . The WFCF 2021 features cellists and young promising cello talents from Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, France, Israel, Italy, the UK and the USA. Including cellists Anna Brikciusová, František Brikcius, Yiqi Chen, Mira Kardan, Stijn Kuppens, Anna Shuttleworth (1927-2021) and George Wolfe-McGuire. Together with conductor Peter Askim, percussionist Brecht Claesen, violinist and philosopher Hugh Desmond, organist and composer Irena Kosíková, conductor Jan Talich, Talich Chamber Orchestra, soprano Nofar Yacobi and narrator Jan Židlický. WCFC begins with a CELLO WEEKEND (Saturday 5th - Sunday 6th June): INDIVIDUAL MASTER CLASSES, two CELLO WEBINARS, CELLO RECITAL - INNER CELLO, interactive online INTERPRETATION MASTERCLASS, three CELLO LAUREATES, introduction to THE CELLO MUSEUM - INNOVATIONS IN CELLO-MAKING MATERIALS, REMEMBERING ANNA SHUTTLEWORTH and music documentary film MAKANNA. Other events will include virtual poetry reading SAVE THE QUEEN (Saturday 12th June), CELLO RECITALS (Sunday 13th and Sunday 20th June), MUSICAL SOLIDARITY PROJECT (Saturday 19th June), MAKE MUSIC DAY (Monday 21st June) and ORGAN RECITAL (Saturday 26th June). WFCF is following in the tradition of previous UNDERGROUND LUNCHTIME RECITALS (Sunday 27th June) in the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum's historic Victoria Line Carriage. For the second time Waltham Forest Cello Fest will hold a CELLO ACADEMY (26th July - 1st August) of online summer cello master classes. Most online events are followed by a Q&A. Please put your questions in the comments or an email. WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST was created in 2019 as a cello celebration of the communities in Waltham Forest the first ever Mayor’s London Borough of Culture. The WFCF is supported by Make It Happen - London Borough of Waltham Forest. For the latest news follow WFCF on Twitter (@WFCelloFest), Facebook and Instagram (@WalthamForestCelloFest) and visit https://www.Brikcius.com/WalthamForestCelloFest .

World renowned cellist Andrew Shulman performs Beethoven cello sonatas no. 4 and no. 5 with brilliant pianist Fabio Bidini. Andrew was principal cello with the Philharmonia, Academy of St. Martin's and Los Angeles Philharmonic, recorded 26 albums with the Britten Quartet and has played as soloist with the London Chamber Orchestra, LA Chamber Orchestra, LA Philharmonic and the Philharmonia Orchestra. Fabio Bidini has performed as concerto soloist with the LSO at the Barbican and the Philharmonia at the Royal Festival Hall. He is also a professor at the Colburn School, as is Andrew at USC. Andrew and Fabio also work together in Los Angeles Piano Trio. Hennessey Brown Music provides you with a chance to attend a virtual event from the comfort and safety of your own home. You can ask questions in a Zoom Room to the musicians before the concert. Then you will be given access to YouTube for a beautiful concert directly from Los Angeles. Andrew and Fabio perform Beethoven's last cello sonatas numbers 4 and 5. High quality audio and video guaranteed. You can watch the YouTube concert from 19.30 [GMT, UTC] and it's yours to keep.