Cheshire Virtuosi Concert in aid of MCH Charity

Music from some of the greatest composers

The concert will feature music from some of the greatest composers, including Louise Farrenc, the only female teacher at the Paris Conservatoire, and one of the first women to speak up for equal pay for women in 1850 – 50 years before the suffragettes and Emily Pankhurst. You will hear the nonet that gave her the acclaim to demand equal pay, and succeed in getting it!

We will also perform the very rarely heard Nonet by Nino Rota, composer of many great film scores including The Godfather.  Commissioned by the Czech Nonet and first performed in 1959, this is a happy and highly virtuosic piece, full of the vitality of truly great movie music.

The Tears of a Clown, based on that fantastic 1970’s number one hit, was recently scored for Nonet by British Horn player Peter Richards. Tears of a Clown arranged for Nonet was commissioned by Andrew Bassey, bassoonist in Cheshire Virtuosi. The original by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles features bassoon in the opening and recurring riff.

Finally you will hear another rarely heard piece, the Duo for Bassoon and Double Bass by the shy and retiring, yet extraordinarily talented Albert Roussel. This miniature was written as a gift for the amazing double bass virtuoso and conductor, Serge Koussevitzky, and it worked because Koussevitzky then programmed an Albert Roussel Symphony in his next season.