16 of the best

Stamford International Music Festival returns next week featuring 16 brilliant young musicians in eight glorious chamber music concerts. The music of Beethoven and his contemporaries runs steadily through the programme, interspersed with works by composers of the Second Viennese school; Zemlinsky, Schoenberg and Webern.

Venues are The Stamford Arts Centre, Browne’s Hospital and the festival’s opening night next Thursday (May 19) will be at the magnificent St Martin’s Church, Stamford.

SIMF began in 2016 when acclaimed violinist Freya Goldmark invited eight friends from music college to perform six concerts over a weekend in Stamford, where she grew up. Since then, the festival has grown to become one of the most exciting cultural events in the area and features exceptional chamber music performed by fine young musicians.

Indeed SIMF 2022 will bring together 16 of the most feted and accomplished young musicians playing in the UK today.

Maxim Calver, cello, for example, was a BBC Young Musician of the Year Finalist in 2018; 22-year-old Edgar Francis won first prize at the Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition in 2021 while Charlotte Saluste Bridoux, violin, is leader of the prize-winning Quatuor Confluence which is currently in residence at the Fondation Singer-Polignac in Paris. The quartet studies with Mathieu Herzog and in 2021 won first prize at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition.

Freya, who now combines the role of SIMF director with playing violin all over the world, said: “Coming home to Stamford for this festival every spring is, without a doubt, the highlight of my musical year. I am always inspired by the reaction of the people of Stamford, who have given the festival and me more support and encouragement than I could ever have hoped for.

“I hope audiences think I have used the time in between festivals well as I believe SIMF 2022 is better than ever - with a mixed programmes of established and lesser known works expanded into three venues across the town." Programme

19 May 7pm - Opening concert, St Martin’s Church Stamford

19 May 9.30 pm St Martin’s Church Stamford - Late Night Schoenberg St Martin’s Church

20 May 7pm Stamford Arts Centre - Beethoven, Schubert and Arensky

20 May 9.15 pm Stamford Arts Centre – Late Night Schubert

21 May 7.30pm Stamford Arts Centre - Beethoven Septet 22 May 11am Browne’s Hospital - Trio Kurtág Coffee Concert

22 May 5pm Stamford Arts Centre - Finale!

Musicians taking part: Freya Goldmark violin, Charlotte Saluste Bridoux violin YCAT artist, Katherine Yoon violin, Sofía Gómez Alberto violin/viola, Francesca Gilbert viola, Edgar Francis viola, Maxim Calver cello, Nina Kiva cello, Peteris Sokolovskis cello, Philip Nelson double bass, Anna Webster clarinet, Trio Kurtág – Yume Fujise, violin Juliette Roos, viola Eliza Millett, cello

For full details and to buy tickets go to www.simfestival. com