Returning to the north after her triumph in the Moray Piano Competition last November, the young American pianist Pearl-Lynne Chen will be giving a recital for Inverness Chamber Music in the Town House on Wednesday 6^th April at 8.00pm.

Chen beat off an impressive selection of teenage pianists to take the Moray title after an intense weekend of competition and immediately agreed to continue the tradition of the winner giving a recital in Inverness a few months later.

Although born in New York City, most of Chen’s musical studies have been in Toronto, Canada.  Currently she is studying with Fali Pavri at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Pearl-Lynne’s Inverness programme will feature works by Ravel, Chopin and Schumann.  Tickets can be bought in advance through Eden Court Box Office (01463 234234) or at the door on the night.  Adults £12, Eden Court Friends £11, Students etc £3.

The following day, Thursday 7^th April will be a busy one for husband and wife accordionist Wayne Robertson and fiddler/violinist Claire Telford.  Wayne was Scottish Junior Accordion Champion for four years in succession while Claire, a former MOD Gold Medal winner and holder of a Glenfiddich Fiddle Silver Medal, is on the music staff of both the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey and St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh.

The couple will be starting their Inverness visit with a lunchtime concert in Inverness Town House as an event in the At 1 With Music Series.  Doors open at 12.30pm, their concert will start at 1.00pm and last for about fifty minutes.  Tickets will be available at the door –  Adults £5, Concessions £4, Children £1.

From 4.00pm until 6.30pm Wayne and Claire will be holding a series of workshops for accordion and fiddle students of all ages at Millburn Academy, for which advance booking is required.  These are being arranged by Margo Maclennan, the Traditional Music Classes Co-ordinator for The Highland Council (01463 663817 or margo.maclennan2@highland.gov.uk)

Friday 15^th April sees the welcome return to Inverness by a Glasgow-based couple who are making an international reputation for themselves.  Flautist Aisling Agnew and guitarist Matthew McAllister come north following tours in Malaysia and Ireland to present a lunchtime concert for At 1 With Music in the Town House.  They will present an eclectic programme of classical, modern and folk pieces including some composed especially for them.  Tickets will be available at the door  –  Adults £5, Concessions £4, Children £1.

Bringing this musical month to a close on Wednesday 27^th April at 8.00pm, Pure Brass will be performing the concert that had to be re-arranged following problems with the weather last December.  Although seasonal works involving holly, mistletoe and the like have been substituted in their programme this skilful quintet of brass players, all of whom have graduated recently from RSAMD, are guaranteed to entertain.

Pure Brass comes to Inverness courtesy of an EMS Residency, a scheme operated by Enterprise Music Scotland that mentors young emergent professional musicians as they take the first steps of their careers after graduating from the conservatoires.

Tickets can be bought in advance through Eden Court Box Office (01463 234234) or at the door on the night.  Adults £12, Eden Court Friends £11, Students etc £3.

This concert makes a suitable end-of-season event for Inverness Chamber Music before the summer break.  The 2011-2012 Season will open on Wednesday 21^st September with a recital by the distinguished pianist Steven Osborne.  In the meantime At 1 With Music will continue to present concerts at lunchtime throughout the year.  For more information please contact James Munro on 01463 710363 or jamesmunro24@aol.com

Source: James Munro