Samuel Bristow is a versatile young musician currently based in London. While he specialises in the organ music of the French Baroque and German Romantic periods, he possesses an eclectic repertoire encompassing works from the fourteenth century to the present. Samuel is the organ scholar of St Paul's Cathedral, London. As one of the full time organists there, he gives recitals on the world-renowned organ and regularly accompanies and conducts services, working with the famous Cathedral Choir in the daily cycle of worship.
The programme included... Works by - J.S. Bach W.A. Mozart (Fantasie in F Minor K.608) Robert Schumann Samuel Barber (Adagio for Strings in A Minor); and David Halls
...Samuel was trained at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he graduated with first class honours in 2019. His teachers were Daniel Moult and Henry Fairs. Other important influences have been Kerry Beaumont, Paul Leddington Wright and Paul Spicer. During this time, he acted as accompanist to the prestigious Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir under the direction of Jeffrey Skidmore and was a recipient of the John Campbell Keyboard Prize. He also held organ scholarships at Coventry and Birmingham Cathedrals, where he was an integral part to the respective music departments. Highlights included accompanying the world premiere of an anthem by Francis Jackson commemorating the retirement of Canon Marcus Huxley and a concert appearance with Jethro Tull. Following this, he was organ scholar at Salisbury Cathedral, where he frequently played for and conducted the Cathedral choirs, assisted in the training of the choristers and worked at the Cathedral School.
Born in London, Samuel grew up in Gloucestershire and was the organ scholar ofCirencester Parish Church, studying under Dr Anthony Hammond and Dr David Ponsford. He has attended organ study trips taking him to France, Germany and the Netherlands, enabling him to participate in masterclasses with Martin Schmeding, Pieter van Dijk, Arvid Gast, Joachim Vogelsänger, Ullrich Bohme and Eric Lebrun.
Samuel has performed in many high-profile venues throughout the United Kingdom, including St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol; Holy Trinity, Sloane Square; St Bride's, Fleet Street; University of St Andrew's, Scotland and the cathedrals of Bristol, Truro, St Paul's, Blackburn, Bradford, Portsmouth and Glasgow. He has broadcasted for BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio WM, BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire and made an appearance on BBC One's "Songs of Praise".
He holds associateship diplomas from the Royal College of Organists and Trinity College London. In addition to his work at St Paul's and as a freelance concert organist, he continues his studies privately with Daniel Moult.
Qualifications and Accolades
1st Class Hons degree-organ performance-the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Associateship of the Royal College of Organists
Associateship of Trinity College London with distinction
Organ Scholar at St Paul's Cathedral, London
Formerly Organ Scholar at Salisbury Cathedral
Formerly Organ Scholar at Birmingham Cathedral
Formerly Organ Scholar at Coventry Cathedral
Symphonia Academica, one of England's most versatile string chamber music ensembles, performed not only The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi but also The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla, the king of the Argentine tango.
...
Vivaldi's work, published in 1725, needs almost no introduction. Nigel Kennedy's 1989 recording of the four baroque violin concertos sold more than two million copies.
Piazzolla's Seasons are very different musical compositions. They were originally written for a cabaret band between 1965 and 1970.
The mischievous pairing of Vivaldi and Piazzolla offers exactly the type of variety that the Symphonia Academica musicians enjoy. Violinist Peter Bussereau, the ensemble's artistic director, says that despite their forbidding-sounding name, Symphonia Academica like to present musical programmes that are "accessible, bright and melodic - we give a wide berth to the turgid and obscure".
They played--- Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992) Cuatros Estaciones Portenos (Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Concerto No. 1 in E major, op.8, RV269
"Spring" (La primavera) 1. Allegro non molto
2. Adagio e pianossimo sempre
3. Allegro pastorale Concerto No. 3 in G minor, op.8, RV315
"Summer" (L'estate) 1. Allegro
2. Largo e piano - presto e forte
3. Presto Concerto No. 3 in F major, op.8, RV293
"Autumn" (L'atunno) 1. Allegro
2. Adagio molto
3. Allegro Concerto No. 4 in F minor, op.8, RV297
"Winter" (L'inverno) 1. Allegro non molto
2. Largo
3. Allegro
Daphne Moody (violin) Steven Halls (cello) David Halls (piano)
afternoon concert at 3.00 pm on Wednesday 9 March
They played - Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Sonata in C minor for Violin, Cello and Continuo, RV83 Frank Bridge (1879-1941)
Three Miniatures Set 1
1. Minuet;
2. Gavotte: Moderato;
3. Allegro con moto;
4. David Halls (b.1963) Quodlibet on Miniatures by Frank Bridge, especially composed for this performance Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)
Piano Trio No.2 in G minor, op.26
Rachel Roberts is one of Europe's leading violists and performs internationally as soloist and chamber musician.
Tim Horton is one of the UK's leading pianists, equally at home in solo and chamber repertoire. He is a founder member of both the Leonore Piano Trio and Ensemble 360 and has been a regular guest pianist with the Nash Ensemble. He was invited to make his solo debut at Wigmore Hall in 2016.
They played - Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Marchenbilder, op.113
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Sonata for Viola & Piano in F minor, op.120, no.1
a composition by Henri Francois Vieuxtemps
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979)
Viola Sonata
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