Summer Music Concert 4
Alexander Sitkovetsky violin
Olga Sitkovetsky piano
Thursday 12 July 7.30pm

Bach Partita No 2 in D minor
Brahms Sonata for violin and piano No 2 in A major, Op 100
Franck Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major
Sarasate Ziguenerweisen

Biography   |   Supper menu   |   Audience reviews

Rehearsal picture: Thursday 12 July 4.15pm

 Alexander's answers to our 'Summer Questions'

Q Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
A When Manchester United score!

Q Are you going antwhere nice for your summer holidays?
A Grandmother's dacha in the country

Q Are you going anywhere nice for your summer holidays?
A Unfortunately, no time for a holiday this summer. But will be playing in Lake Como which is fabulous

Q What is your favourite city?
A Too many to choose from

Q What are you reading at the moment?
A Kreutzer Sonata by Tolstoi

Q What music are you currently listening to?
A Britten - Les Illuminations and Faithless

Q What's your favourite summer drink?
A Lipton Ice Tea (lemon flavour)

Q What food would you most associate with summer?
A Fruit and berries

Q Which composer would you most have like to have met?
A Bach

Quotes

“Sitkovetsky has a terrific technique to be sure, but his confident, entirely natural musicianship, is what sets him apart from the crowd.” The Gramophone

“Mr Sitkovetsky poured his warm tone into the music’s soaring phrases, managing to sustain its impassioned lyricism and preserve its broad arcs of sound”
The New York Times

Alexander Sitkovetsky's biography

The young British violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky was born in Moscow in 1983 into a family with an established musical tradition and at the age of eight he made his debut performance as a soloist with the chamber orchestra in Montpellier, France. Later that same year he was invited to become a pupil at the Yehudi Menuhin School where he studied with Natalia Boyarsky and Professor Hu Kun. He participated in masterclasses given by Lord Menuhin, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Mauricio Fuks, Georgy Pauk, Maya Glezarova, Zvi Zeitlin and Abram Stern. In 1998 he took part in a masterclass given by Maxim Vengerov which was broadcast over the European TV network. Currently Alexander is studying with Professor Pavel Vernikov in Vienna.

Since their first meeting in Moscow in 1990, Lord Menuhin became a great inspiration for Alexander and supported him through his school years. Together they performed the Bach Double Violin Concerto in France and Belgium, as well as Bartok’s Duos at St James’s Palace in London. In 1996, Alexander played Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in Budapest with Menuhin conducting.

Alexander has performed in many international music festivals throughout Europe, including the Radio France Festival in Montpellier, the Festival Internationale des Jeunes Solistes in Antibes, the Festa Torino in Italy, the International Music Academy in Tours, the Music Festival in Oldenburg, Germany, the Verbier Music Festival and Academy in Switzerland, the Tuscan Sun Festival in Cortona,  and at the Newport Music Festival in Rhode Island, USA.

He has featured as a soloist at many famous venues throughout Europe, including the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall and St John’s Smith Square in London, Salla Verdi in Milan, Palais des Congres in Antibes as well as in Israel, Hawaii, and Moscow. His performances include concerts in the Barbican, St Martin in the Fields and Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. The Strad magazine
has featured Alexander as one of the ‘Stars of the New Century’. He featured in a BBC documentary which has been broadcast several times and he has made numerous television appearances in the UK. He also featured as a soloist in an important Tchaikovsky documentary by BBC Television earlier in 2007. His several Wigmore Hall appearances in London have been much acclaimed. Alexander is also an accomplished composer. His two orchestral ballet scores were premiered in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Dance in 1995 and in 1999 at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

He has released two CD recordings for Angel Records (a part of Capitol/EMI Classics group). His second CD recording for EMI/Angel featuring concerto performances by Bach, Mendelssohn, Panufnik and Takemitsu was released in January 2004 and has received unanimous critical acclaim.

He has given a solo recital at London’s Royal Festival Hall, as well as debut performances in New York where he appeared at the Frick Collection Series partnered by Bella Davidovich. His 2005/2006 schedule included engagements in the USA (with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Constantin Oberlian), Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan, and his concerto performances included his debut at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and other concerto performances in the UK, Italy and USA. During the 2006/2007 season he gave further performances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in St Petersburg, before embarking on a tour that included Bangkok, Bermuda and various cities in the USA. Alexander also made his debut with the English Chamber Orchestra in April 2007.

Olga Sitkovetsky's biography

Born in Moscow, Olga Sitkovetsky studied piano and concertmaster skills at the College of Music affiliated with the Moscow Conservatory, and later at the St Petersburg Conservatory.

Sitkovetsky has performed as an accompanist in many international violin competitions and has received numerous awards for her accompaniment. She has also participated in the International Musical Academies in Tours (France), Kent (England) and in summer courses in Italy and France.

In 1991 Lord Menuhin invited her as an accompanist to the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music in Surrey, England. Her work at the School from 1991 – 2000 has helped a number of students to win top prizes at major international competitions. She now enjoys accompanying these former students, now accomplished musicians, in their tours all over the world. She participated in a CD recording celebrating Lord Menuhin’s 80th birthday.

In July 1998, Sitkovetsky made her official American debut at the renowned Newport Music Festival in Rhode Island, since when she has toured extensively in Italy, Belgium, Gilbraltar, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. 2002 and 2003 found her performing in some of the most prestigious concert venues in the world including Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Salzburg ‘Mozarteum’ and the Vienna Konzerthaus.

She has also recorded with various artists for Angel Records/EMI Classics, Dynamic, Naxos and ASV.

Tickets for supper has now sold out

After concert supper menu 4

Fish pie with salmon, prawns, smoked haddock, parsley and dill; vegetable moussaka; greek salad; green bean salad with soy dressing and green salad. Selection of breads. Mango and sherry trifle. Coffee/tea.

If you wish to add your review to the concert please email your comments and they will be uploaded onto the website. Blackthorpe Barn reserves the right to edit comments submitted.

'Clever you – two of my ‘top ten’ favourites in one concert!  When I first discovered the Bach Partitas they always seemed unique – like Bach on ‘acid’? No.2 is best known I guess, and being able to see it performed was a transfixing experience, the lone violinist seemed so vulnerable and compelling.

My other favourite is the Franck sonata – one of the most weepiest pieces of music I know… all those urging sweeping arcs of melody, ratcheting up the emotion.  Pass the Kleenex…

BTW – the final piece, which I’d never heard before was fab!  Just so funny & amusing, and wonderfully played – real bit of showmanship.'
Sally, RowAA, seat7

'Special thanks to Alexander and Olga for giving their all to a country audience. The evening was truely magnificent.'
Rick, Lawshall

'The Sitkovetskys very polished and I believe Alexander has come on to an extraordinary virtuoso level.'
Rhoda Ormerod, Row C seat1