Kosmos Ensemble, music performed with: “telepathic rapport, dazzling virtuosity, serious scholarship, intellectual curiosity and impeccable musicianship.” - Richard Morrison, The Times. An inspirational combination of tango, gypsy, Balkan and Japanese music referencing classical composers, with fearless improvisation and impeccable technique. Prepare to be intoxicated by entrancing dance rhythms, soulful improvisation and gypsy passion delivered with inimitable panache and virtuoso technique. All three members of Kosmos are soloists in their own right and have recorded concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Nova to critical acclaim. Harriet MacKenzie (violin), Meg Hamilton (viola), Milos Milivojevic (accordion). "major verve and musicality.... as breath-taking as it is moving... impressive and brilliantly effective" - Rob Adams, The Herald.
Profits from the ticket sales will be going towards the making of their next album. This is not their first appearance in the Tuned In London series: do come and support them!
Harriet MacKenzie (violin)
“Searing Intensity... A performance full of panache.... captivating” - The Strad
Harriet is an internationally renowned concerto soloist and has performed across five continents. Recordings include concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Nova and the English Symphony Orchestra. These have received international acclaim, including ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone Magazine, cited for Harriet’s “superbly responsive playing … faultless technique and unfailing insight”. Her recording of five British contemporary violin concertos received a Five Star review in The Times from Richard Morrison as well as being nominated for 'Recording of The Year' 2017 from Music Web International. Her recording of the Wall of Water violin concerto with the ESO was chosen by Guy Rickards as one of his top three recordings of 2015 in Gramophone Magazine and her recording of Christopher Gunning's violin concerto was named as one of critic Norman Lebrecht's top recordings of 2016. Live broadcasts include BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, Radio London and Hungarian National Radio. She has performed as a soloist in prestigious halls such as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, Budapest Marble Hall, Purcell Room, Auditorio Nacional Madrid and Kyiv Hall of Marble Columns. In 2015, she was honoured to to perform Janacek's The Fiddler's Child for the 80th birthday celebrations of conductor Diego Masson. A multi-faceted virtuoso, she is also fascinated by world music styles and composes and improvises in many different styles.
Meg Hamilton (viola)
For Meg, Kosmos bridges the western and non-western music worlds, while providing opportunities for viola playing, daring creativity, group composing, cross-genre arranging, and in particular freedom either to use or abandon rules and labels. In 2003, having gained an Honours degree in music at Edinburgh University and a performance diploma at Trinity college of Music, she won a Millennium Award from the Jewish Music Institute which facilitated an intensive study of klezmer music. Thus began her on-going fascination with music from Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, Greece, the Middle East and beyond. That same year she joined and has since co-lead She’koyokh on violin, a group now hailed as the UK’s “ best klezmer and Balkan band” (Songlines magazine). She’Koyokh has showcased Meg throughout the UK and Europe at stages such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Aldeburgh’s Snape proms, and Womad festival. She'koyokh have recorded many acclaimed albums and have received Five Star reviews from the Evening Standard and fRoots. Collaborations in London include concerts and recordings of Jewish pop with Oi Va Voi, Yiddish song with Hilda Bronstein, Greek and Turkish songs from Asia Minor with Cigdem Aslan’s Mortissa project, Arabian music with singers Abdul Salam Khier and Merit Ariane Stephanos, and Romanian folk and Gypsy music with Monooka’s Caravan. Meg sees her fiddle as her second passport. Her discoveries are transferable to her treasured viola and the ever evolving ingredients in the 'Kosmos Kauldron'.
Miloš Milivojevic (accordion)
Serbian born classical accordionist started his musical education in Kragujevac and was first prizewinner at International Accordion Competitions in Italy, Denmark, France and Germany. In 2002, Miloš was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Master Degree. In 2004 Miloš made his debut at the London’s Purcell Room as a part of the Park Lane Group Series and received enthusiastic reviews. In the same year Miloš was selected to perform as a soloist at the University of London Senate House, at the Foundation awards ceremony in front of HRH The Princess Royal. In 2007 Miloš became the first accordionist ever to win the RAM Club Prize at the Academy open to all instrumentalists and in 2008 has been selected to represent the Academy and was the winner of the prestigious Derek Butler London Prize at the Wigmore Hall – contested by students from all four of the London conservatories. Following successful completion of his studies in 2009 Miloš was awarded Distinction and Vice Principal’s Special Prize at the Royal Academy of Music. Miloš’ has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician and is a regular member of the London Tango Quintet, Kosmos Ensemble, AccordDuo and Balkan group Paprika at many prestigious classical and world music festivals across the UK, Russia, Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Iceland, Serbia, Montenegro, Spain, the Canary Islands, Australia and New Zealand.