Mary Hofman (violin) and Richard Ormrod (piano)

This afternoon's concert is part of the 'Beethoven in Wales' project in which all Beethoven Violin and Piano sonatas are to be performed in music clubs in Wales and adjoining counties. Four sonatas will be played at each concert - this one includes the three Opus 12 sonatas plus Opus 24. Furthermore, for each concert a new work by a Welsh female composer has been commissioned to reflect on and respond to the Beethoven Sonatas; this concert will include a new work by Rhian Samuel.

Richard Ormrod and Mary Hofman have performed duos together for five years in venues across the UK. They enjoy playing both innovative and more traditional programmes with the special intimacy of a husband/wife duo! They also offer an unusual mixture of solo piano, solo violin and violin/piano duo works which creates freshness in the programming frequently appreciated by audiences.

Mary graduated in 2007 and since then Mary has pursued a varied career as an orchestral and chamber musician and teacher. She studied at the Guildhall School of Music with Krysia Ososotowicz and English Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge. She went on to study with Ida Levin and Lorenz Gamma in the U.S. While studying there she won an award from the Maestro Foundation in Los Angeles. Mary has worked as guest leader of the Edinburgh Quartet as well as performing with the Endellion Quartet and plays regularly with Ensemble Cymru. She has worked with most of Britain's leading chamber orchestras including the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Manchester Camerata and Britten Sinfonia. Mary also teaches violin at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music and Bangor University.

Richard is an acclaimed soloist. He has twice performed concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry at the Barbican Centre, London and toured the Pacific rim as concerto soloist with the Philharmonia Virtuosi. Richard made his first concerto appearance at the age of 10. After studying with Beate Popperwell, and with Michael Young at Wells Cathedral School, Richard went on to read Music at King’s College, Cambridge. Chamber Music is central to Richard’s musical life. He was awarded the accompanist's prize at the Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition. As a pianist with the Salzburg Hyperion Ensemble, he has performed in numerous countries and he has also joined the renowned Dorian Wind Quintet on three US tours. Richard serves on the piano faculty at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.