Leeds International Concert Season - Madeleine Mitchell (violin)

American composer Amy Beach wrote her Romance in 1893, the same year as Dvorák’s Sonatine was written when he was living in America. Prokofiev wrote his exquisite Five Melodies as songs without words for a tour in California with soprano, later arranging them for violin and piano when he was back in Paris – the home of Lili Boulanger, who died tragically young. Sojourner Truth was an extraordinary American abolitionist and Errollyn Wallen’s piece for Madeleine Mitchell is based on the spiritual O’er the Crossing – premiered on International Women’s Day 2021. The programme is completed by a virtuosic piece by Frank Bridge, discovered in manuscript a century after the premiere by Madeleine and recorded on her album Violin Songs along with the Boulanger and Prokofiev pieces.

The concert will last 50 minutes.

Madeleine Mitchell has a distinguished career as solo violinist and chamber musician, performing in fifty countries with major orchestras and venues including at the BBC Proms. This year she directed her Century of Music by UK Women programme for International Women’s Day and toured as soloist with BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Mitchell’s albums include many works written for her and first recordings of early 20th Century British music, and have been nominated for Grammy and BBC Music Awards. She also is Director of her eclectic international Red Violin festival, Founder Patron Menuhin, which will take place throughout Leeds in October 2023.

Nigel Clayton has performed worldwide as both solo and collaborative pianist. In addition to tours including Japan, Taiwan and Indonesia, Nigel has performed in most of the UK music clubs and festivals, given over fifty recitals at London’s Southbank Centre and appeared alongside such artists as clarinettist Michael Collins. He has given recitals with Madeleine Mitchell in Singapore’s Victoria Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, for BBC Radio 3 and throughout the UK as well as recording the album ‘Violin Muse’. He is Official Accompanist for the annual Tibor Varga International Violin Competition in Switzerland and a Professor at the Royal College of Music.