After the phenomenal success of the breathtaking concert this time last year, Harriet Mackenzie and the Celoniatus Ensemble return with a beautiful nature-inspired programme featuring the baroque masterpiece 'The Four Seasons' by Vivaldi juxtaposed with the heat of Argentinian tango in Piazzolla's 'Four Seasons of Buenos Aires' and the beautifully evocative work by Emily Doolittle depicting a blackbird singing in the rain: eight seasons, birdsong, classical and candlelit…
Harriet Mackenzie is an internationally renowned concerto soloist and has performed across five continents. “Searing Intensity... A performance full of panache.... captivating” - The Strad. Her recordings include concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Nova and the English Symphony Orchestra and these have received international acclaim, including Five Stars in The Times (Richard Morrison) and 'Recording of The Month' in Music Web International: "There is a completeness, a confidence, an honesty and a consistent lyrical beauty that has moved me again and again. These qualities all emerge in Harriet Mackenzie’s utterly magisterial performance....Performances and recording are first-class throughout. Harriet Mackenzie’s commitment to these composers and these works is obvious, her performances are riveting. She needs to be making more records for sure." (Richard Hanlon). Her recording of the Wall of Water violin concerto with the English String Orchestra was chosen by Guy Rickards as one of his top three recordings of 2015 in Gramophone Magazine and her recording of Christopher Gunning's concerto with the the RPO was chosen by Norman Lebrecht as one of his top recordings of 2016. She has recorded on the NMC, Discovery, Naxos, Nimbus and Dutton labels. Live broadcasts include BBC Radio 3, Classic FM and Hungarian National Radio. As well as performing all the standard repertoire, Harriet is an ambassador for contemporary music. She has performed many world premieres with music specifically written for her, including Robert Fokkens’ violin concerto (premiered Southbank Centre, London) and Graham Coatman’s violin concerto, (premiered Swaledale Festival) and Deborah Prichard's 'Wall of Water' violin concerto with the English Symphony Orchestra, inspired by the paintings of Maggi Hambling (premiered LSO St Luke's) and Deborah Prtichard's 'Edge' double concerto for violin and harp (premiered Aldeburgh festival with harpist Catrin Finch and the Aldeburgh Festival Orchestra). She has performed concertos and recitals in prestigious halls such as the Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, Budapest Marble Hall, Purcell Room 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. She also made her directing debut in 2016 when she directed the London-Vienna Kammerorchester in Piazzolla/Deyatnikov 'Four Seasons of Buenos Aires' in Auditorio Madrid.
In addition to her solo work she is a lover of chamber music and is a founder member of Kosmos Ensemble, Retorica, Karolos Ensemble and also performs with pianists Christopher Glynn, Danny Driver and guitarist Morgan Szymanski. Her latest recording is the chamber music of Stephen Dodgson with the Karolos Ensemble: two disks will be released on the Nimbus Label in 2018. Harriet graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with First Class honours, M.Mus and DipRAM. In 2015, she was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM). Also in 2015, she was awarded the Richard Carne Fellowship at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music.
Doors will open at 7pm. A cash bar will serve drinks. The beautiful early 18th century church is a 3 minute walk from Rotherhithe Overground Station, and 381 and C10 buses.