Violist Rachel Roberts will perform three concerts in three days at this year’s Presteigne Festival in August, including the world premiere of a brand new Viola Concerto.
On Saturday 26th August at 7pm, Rachel takes to the stage alongside the Presteigne Festival Orchestra, under the baton of Festival Director George Vass, to give the world premiere of a new Viola Concerto by Edward Gregson. The same concert also features Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings with tenor Mark Wilde, music for string orchestra by Grace Williams, and another world premiere by Adrian Williams.
On Sunday 27th August at 7pm, Rachel joins clarinettist Robert Plane and pianist Chris Hopkins to present a selection of Trios, including the world premiere of Michael Berkeley’s new trio for clarinet, viola and piano, The Magnolia Tree. The programme also features Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio and Huw Watkins’s Speak Seven Seas for the same forces, as well as John Hawkins’s Urizen for viola and piano, performed by Rachel and Chris.
On Monday 28th August at 2:30pm, Rachel teams up with violinist Mathilde Milwidsky to perform a concert entitled “Virtuoso Duos”. The programme includes Duos for violin and viola by Bohuslav Martinů, Cydonie Banting, Adrian Sutton and Mozart, and Rachel will also perform music for solo viola by Roxanna Panufnik and Hilary Tann.
Tickets for all three concerts are now on sale, and available via the Presteigne Festival website.
Updated September 2024 – we are delighted to now be able to add some images (credit photographer Michael Whitefoot) of the concert on Saturday 26th August and the premiere of Edward Gregson’s Viola Concerto: