Thursday 26 January 2012

Joy Farrall – Clarinet

Beginning her studies in Melbourne, Australia, with Isobel Carter Joy continued in England as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain while studying with Nigel Keates and went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music with Yona Ettlinger and Antony Pay.

As a professional Joy has performed as concert soloist with orchestras such as the Philharmonia, the English Chamber Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the London Mozart Players, the Ulster Orchestra and the Britten Sinfonia, with whom she recently made her second recording of the Mozart Concerto for BMG Conifer which went straight into the classical charts in its first week of release and is now a best seller.

Joy is a founder member of the Haffner Wind Ensemble with whom she has broadcast and toured widely. This ensemble has broken down many barriers with its education work, always led by Joy, which has introduced many thousands of children to hands-on music making.

As a recitalist with Pianist Julius Drake she has appeared at music societies and festivals all over Britain, at the Purcell Room and the Wigmore Hall in London, as well as in Spain, Australia, Finland and Norway. With Pianist Graham Johnson Joy has performed Schubert's 'Shepherd on the Rock' all over the UK as well as at the Wigmore Hall. In addition to this she has appeared as guest soloist with the Vanbrugh, Kreutzer, Medea, Brindisi, New Leipzig, Schidloff and Pellegrini String Quartets. Festival appearances include Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Kuhmo Finland, Stockholm, Leicester and Cambridge.

Joy is a famous exponent of new music and has had many new works written for and dedicated to her, most notably Simon Bainbridge's Double concerto and Clarinet Quintet, works by Oliver Knussen and John McCabe and most recently Edward Cowie's 'Elysium'.

As a recording artist Joy has had special critical success for her CD releases. They include the complete Mozart Clarinet works on three disks on Meridian, the Strauss Duet Concertino for EMI, the Mozart concerto on BMG Conifer, which she performs on the Bassett Clarinet, and various chamber music works for both Chandos and Hyperion. Her most recent release is a disc of virtuoso Italian Clarinet Concertos with the Britten Sinfonia on ASV.

Joy is a Professor of Clarinet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Min Jung Kym - Piano

British pianist Min-Jung Kym has acquired a widely recognised reputation for her diverse range of styles and repertoire as a soloist, duo and chamber musician.

A former Purcell School scholar, Min-Jung made her London solo concert debut at the age of twelve with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. Her numerous prizes and awards include the British Young Pianist of the Year, Ettlingen International and the YMFE competitions.

A scholar at the Royal Academy of Music, Min-Jung graduated with the Eric Brough and Elsie Horne prizes. Further recognition was given in 2009 when Min-Jung was awarded the Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), an honour bestowed to alumni of the Royal Academy of Music, who have distinguished themselves in the music profession and made a significant contribution to it in their particular field.

Min-Jung's performances have been enjoyed in the USA, Europe and throughout the UK. She has played at venues including the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Purcell Room, St John Smith's Square, De Montfort Hall, Brighton Dome, and the Queen's Theatre. She has also appeared at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, the Cheltenham Festival, Broadwood International Piano Festival and as well as at the Chichester Festivities. Her performances of Beethoven Concerto No.4 were received to great critical acclaim with the world-renowned Philharmonia Orchestra.

Min-Jung is the 'pianist of choice' for the masterclasses by the legendary violinist Ruggiero Ricci, and has enjoyed successful collaborations with (amongst others) the Haffner Ensemble, Pierre Amoyal and Adrian Brendel. With the Royal Opera House Concert Master, Sergey Levitin, Min-Jung gave a Wigmore recital which was followed by a critically acclaimed performance of the Mendelssohn Double Concerto under the baton of Barry Wordsworth where her performance was described as 'impeccable ... there seems no doubt that young pianist Kym is destined for the big-time'.

Last season's highlights have included an invitation to play at Al Bustan, Lebanon, under the auspices of the British Embassy, a concert tour in Germany with the Concert Master of The Philharmonia, Zsolt-Tihamer Visontay, and the performance of the world premiere of Stuart MacRae's Poems for Angus, with the principals of the Royal Opera House and soprano Susan Bickely. Engagements for this season will include performances at the Salerno Opera House (Italy), Gran Canaria in Spain with the Covent Garden Soloists and Alison Balsolm as well as solo performances throughout including France and South Korea.

A Steinway artist, Min-Jung Kym is regularly invited to music festivals and societies up and down the country, where her versatility and subtleties of technique are widely appreciated.