Monday, April 4th 2005
Friends of the Philharmonia chamber concert at the Bolívar Hall

An evening of chamber music at Bolívar Hall organized by the Friends of the Philharmonia Orchestra, under the sponsorship of this Embassy

The first half of this evening's performance was given by Clara Rodríguez (piano) and the second half by Rachel Roberts (viola) accompanied by Clara Rodríguez.

Rachel Roberts, viola
Rachel Roberts was born in 1971 and studied with David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She also studied at the Royal Northern College of Music where she became the first viola player to ever attain a Distinction in her Professional Performance Diploma. Since her debut recital performance at the Purcell Room on the South Bank at the age of 18, Rachel has performed as a chamber musician at venues such as the Barbican, St John's, Smith Square, Manchester's Bridgewater Hall and Symphony Hall, Birmingham. A former member of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, she became Principal Viola with the Manchester Camerata at the age of 21, which involved lots of chamber music and with whom she appeared as soloist many times at the Bridgewater Hall and the Royal Northern College of Music. She was appointed Principal Viola with the Philharmonia Orchestra in May 2000 and has a son, Corey.

Rachel Roberts performance this evening is kindly supported by Robert A. Jones

Clara Rodríguez, piano
Clara was born in Venezuela and after winning a scholarship from the Venezuelan Arts Council trained in London at the Royal College of Music under Phyllis Sellick. There she was the recipient of numerous prizes and performed as a soloist with the RCM orchestras concertos such as Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Manuel De Falla, Gershwin's Concerto in F and Ravel Concerto in G which she performed at St. John's Smith Sq. Clara Rodríguez has developed a career as a concert pianist playing in Europe, North Africa, India and Egypt. Her repertoire covers the main works by the Classical, Romantic and Modern composers but also she has intensely promoted the music of the Latin American continent. Her CDs are frequently played on the BBC Radio 3 and other networks ranging from Argentina to the USA, from Spain to Finland as well as Australia and China. Some of the latest coverage of her work have included appearances on programmes such as Dossier with Walter Martinez (Radio Nacional de Venezuela), In Tune with Sean Rafferty (BBC Radio 3), Tonight at 11 with Nathalie Wheen (Classic FM), Woman's Hour with Jenni Murray (BBC Radio 4) as well as TV (Sky and CNN) and interviews for many newspaper and magazines. For further information or if you wish to communicate with Clara Rodríguez you can visit www.clararodriguez.com

Clara Rodríguez's performance this evening is kindly supported by Ernst Zillekens, Chairman of the Friends of the Philharmonia

Programme

  • JUAN CARLOS NUÑEZ Retrato Solemnísimo de Aldemaro Romero
  • DIEGO SILVA Brevario Citadino Cabré - La Marialuisa - Emiliano - Solitude
  • FEDERICO RUIZ Zumba que Zumba
  • ERNESTO LECUONA Alhambra, La Comparsa, Malagueña
  • ASTOR PIAZOLLA Chau París
  • ALBERTO GINASTERA Danza del Gaucho Matrero
  • RALPH VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS Suite
    Group 1 : Prelude - Carol- Christmas Dance
    Group 2 : Ballad -Moto Perpetuo
    Group 3 : Musette-Polka Melancolique - Galop
  • FRANK BRIDGE Two Pieces
  • WILLIAM WALTON 1 st Movement from Viola Concerto
  • EDWARD ELGAR In Moonlight ( from In the South)