Thurs 25th Nov: Julian Metzger, cello and Paul Turner, piano

Sonata for piano and cello in D major Op.102 No. 2 – Beethoven
Sonata for piano and cello in G minor Op. 5 No. 2 – Beethoven

 

Cellist Julian Metzger has an exciting multifaceted career as a chamber musician, orchestral player, soloist and teacher. This career path can be traced back to his early childhood where he first developed his passion for cello playing and music making, followed by many years of study and single-minded dedication to his craft under the influence and guidance of his teachers Ioan Davies, Stefan Popov and Raphael Wallfisch, augmented by diverse masterclasses by David Strange, Steve Doan, Yfrah Neaman, Paul Roberts and Norbert Brainin. Apart from regular appearances in the United Kingdom, concerts have taken him throughout Europe and the Far East where delighted audiences have often praised his technically and musically exciting interpretations. Drawing on a rare depth of emotions combined with a rich palate of sound colours, Julian has become a sought-after chamber musician collaborating with eminent performers such as oboist Christopher Redgate, flautist Lisa Nelsen, violist Robert Secret, violinists Charles Sewart and Giovanni Guzzo and pianists Marco Fatichenti, Paul Turner and Richard Black to name but a few. These collaborations have taken place on concert platforms worldwide and at festivals such as the Buckingham Summer Festival, Beaminster Festival, Malcolm Arnold Festival, Musicfest Aberystwyth and the International Casals Festival in El Vendrell. In 2018 Julian and his friend Marco Fatichenti ran their own festival, the Elysian Music Festival, for the first time. The aim of this festival is to provide young talents with the opportunity to give concerts alongside experienced established performers as well as to introduce contemporary music and composers to a new audience. Concerto performances with conductors such as Alexander Walker, Robert Secret, Adrian Brown, Michael Rose, Anthony Weeden and Jacques Cohen have included virtually the entire standard concerto repertoire in addition to lesser known works by Tartini, Monn, Bridge, Kabalevsky, Miaskovsky and Shostakovich. Within the camaraderie of the orchestra Julian frequently enjoys concerts as principal and sub-principal cellist with orchestras such as the English Symphony Orchestra, the London Gala Orchestra, the Orchestra of Stowe Opera and Orchestra Pro Anima. Other orchestras he has worked with over the years have included the Northern Ballet, Brighton Philharmonic, Oxford Philharmonic, Oxford City Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra and English String Orchestra. One important aspect of Julian’s development as a well-rounded professional musician has always been cello teaching and chamber music coaching, an activity that started as a young teenager in his native Germany where he taught young and adult beginner students. In fact he believes that he has learned as much about cello playing from teaching as he has from practising and performing. He now teaches cello and coaches chamber music at the Purcell School, Kimbolton School, Bedford Girls’ School and the Royal Latin School, in addition to teaching a small select number of private students. For many years he has coached the cello section of the Bedfordshire County Youth Orchestra and he has given masterclasses at Wells Cathedral School, New College School, Oxford and for the Milton Keynes Music Service. For the past three years he has been tutoring on chamber music courses at Benslow in Hitchin and on chamber music courses at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has inspired a number of his cello students to continue their studies at the Royal Northern College, Birmingham Conservatory, Leeds College and Canterbury University in order to become performers and teachers themselves. Future concerts include recitals with pianists Paul Turner and Marco Fatichenti, a performance of the Brahms Double Concerto with violinist Cristian De Sa, as well as recitals with Enigma14.

Pianist Paul Turner is a widely experienced soloist and chamber music player renowned for his sensitive playing. He excels in a wide range of genres as demonstrated in recent events, which include: performances of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F; his National Theatre debut with Maria Ewing in a celebration for the life of Sir Peter Hall; the Ralph Vaughan Williams festival with Jack Liebeck and members of the Sacconi Quartet; Kings College Cambridge with Nicholas Daniel during Easter week; Ligeti ‘Hommage a Brahms’ with Martin Owen; recording with Miranda Dale for the Proust Society and a new collaboration with BBC Young Musician of the Year finalist, saxophonist Robert Burton. “For his part, Turner offered…intricate piano writing rendered with exemplary clarity and poise” (Richard Whitehouse). “Turner...impressed with a spectacular performance, demonstrating his astonishing abilities as an accompanist” (Surrey Advertiser) “A wise and sensitive pianist” (Gower Festival).