September 28, 2023
British violinist Madeleine Mitchell to perform recital at K-State
Submitted by the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Renowned British violinist Madeleine Mitchell returns to K-State on Oct. 5 for a recital that features several works written for her by contemporary composers. The concert will close with the brilliant "Sonata for violin and piano" by Cesar Franck, with collaborative pianist SongHwa Chae of Manhattan.
New works, which can be heard on Mitchell's latest recording for Naxos Records, include Wendy Hiscocks' "Caprice" and "Sojourner Truth" by Errollyn Wallen. The Wallen piece, for violin and piano, was inspired by the story of Truth's life. A conversation between Mitchell and Wallen about the piece may be heard on YouTube. Mitchell will perform the U.S. premiere of Michael Berkeley's "Notes on the Loss of a Friend: In Memoriam Nicholas Snowman" and three short, recently discovered pieces by Rebecca Clarke in a world premiere performance.
Mitchell and K-State violin faculty member Madeleine Jansen will perform duos from "Atlantic Drift" by Master of the King's Music Judith Weir, and Mitchell and Chae will also perform Joseph Joachim's "Romance" for violin and piano.
The recital is sponsored by the K-State School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Dow Center for Multicultural and Community Studies.
Mitchell will also give a master class for students of Jansen at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 5 in Kirmser Hall. Sponsored by the British Music Society, repertoire performed by the students will be by British composers Ethel Barns, Edward Elgar, Rebecca Clarke and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Both events are free and open to the public
Mitchell has been described by The London Times as "one of the UK's liveliest musical forces (and) foremost violinists." She has performed as a solo violinist and chamber musician in 50 countries with a wide repertoire, frequently broadcast for radio and TV, and has performed in major festivals, including the BBC Proms. Her latest album, "Violin Conversations," of premiere recordings of works primarily by living UK composers, several written for Mitchell, has been very favorably reviewed in both The Telegraph and The Observer. It follows her successful previous "Naxos" album, No. 2 in the Classical Charts. Last year she won a Royal Philharmonic Society Enterprise Award to make a short film with the V&A Fabergé exhibition and the live quartet concert she curated with the London Chamber Ensemble, which she founded.
As a recording artist with a wide discography, Madeleine has been nominated for Grammy and BBC Music Awards.