Rowena Calvert & Eleanor Turner

Wednesday 2nd March 2010, 7:30pm

.

.

.

.

.

.

Eleanor Turner

harp

The Calvert Turner Duo are a unique and original cello and harp duo who have been performing together since 2003. Their programmes feature their own compositions, music from around the world and virtuosic repertoire. They have toured Britain extensively, have played in festivals throughout the UK and have released their debut CD, El Paño Moruno, to critical acclaim.

A year after beginning the cello with her father, Rowena Calvert began her musical education at St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh, with Ruth Beauchamp. After her Queens Hall debut when she was twelve years old, several concerto opportunities and masterclasses from masters including Steven Isserlis and Steven Doane, Rowena transferred to the Yehudi Menuhin School when she was thirteen to study with Leonid Gorokhov. It was here that several partnerships were formed with pianists that were seen to perform in venues such as the Wigmore Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, Manchester Cello Festival, UK, Kronberg Cello Festival, Germany, and in the UNESCO Celebrations, Paris. When Rowena was eighteen she went to The Royal Academy of Music where she studied with Paul Watkins and was a string finalist of BBC Young Musicians 2002. Two years later Rowena moved to India where she helped run two music schools, performed a concerto on Indian Television, played a recital in The British Council and performed for the Sangat Western Classical Music Festival. On her return, Rowena resumed her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with Hannah Roberts. Here she was the winner of the Busenhart Morgen Evans Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians, the Tillett trust Education Award, The Haworth Trust award for Cellists, an Ian Fleming Award from the MBF, a Countess of Munster Star Award, The Jellineck Award, The Myra Hess Award, The Oglesby Education Award and a bow from the Scottish Arts Council. Since leaving the RNCM, Rowena was invited to be a part of the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme which offered her and her pianist duo partner, Alison Rhind, twenty seven engagements. They also made Rowena’s debut solo CD together which includes works by Beethoven, Debussy and DeFalla.   Visit Rowena’s Website where you can hear her play the Toccata from George Crumb’s solo sonata

Eleanor Turner was born in 1982 and started learning the harp at the age of five. In 1993 she began her studies with Daphne Boden at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. She went on to study harp with Alison Nicholls for seven years and has participated in masterclasses with eminent harpists such as Catherine Michel and Erika Waardenburg. Eleanor won Third Prize and the Peutz Audience Award at the Netherlands International Harp Competition 2010. In 2007 she won First Prize, a £20,000 concert harp by Salvi Harps, at the Cardiff European Harp Competition 2007. In 2008 Eleanor received one of the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Maisie Lewis Awards which led to her solo Wigmore Hall debut that year. Since then, Eleanor has enjoyed travelling Europe to give recitals in Italy, Spain, Ireland and The Netherlands. She is also a composer, arranger and teacher. She loves to travel and enjoys all the opportunities that being a musician presents!  Visit Eleanor’s Website where there are more sound links.

Programme

J.S.Bach ~ Viola da Gamba Sonata in D major, BWV.1029

Calvert & Turner ~ Scottish Medley

Saint-Saens ~ Le Carnaval des Animaux:- Aquarium & The Swan

Ravi Shankar ~ Sonata No.1 for Cello and Harp

Bela Bartók ~ Three Hungarian Folksongs (from the Csik and Romanian Folk Dances)

John Metcalf ~ Castell Dolbadarn

Astor Piazolla ~ Libertango, Oblivion et.al.

Vittorio Monti ~ Czardas