Alongside a selection of classical pieces for violin and piano which hold a special place in my heart, I will also be performing an original composition of mine for solo violin and electronics as well as some of my arrangements.
Current Hattori Foundation Senior Award winner, Roberts Balanas, is joined by Siqian Li to present this Hattori Foundation early Evening Concert. The friendly format is a one-hour programme after a welcome drink, followed by light refreshments with the artists in the bar.
A musician of eclectic artistry, Latvian violinist Roberts Balanas enjoys a wide range of musical interests and aims to tear down the boundaries between different genres of music. Combining his background in classical music with the sound worlds of pop, rock and funk, his solo violin arrangements have amassed millions of views across the web. This season Roberts will give performances at the New Generation Festival (Switzerland & Italy), Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Cesu Concert Hall (Latvia), Bridgewater Hall (UK) and more. During the pandemic, together with his sisters, violinist Kristine and cellist Margarita, Roberts founded Balanas Classical, an initiative for promoting classical music through innovative concerts, workshops and masterclasses. In December 2020, they held their first event - Balanas Sisters and Roche Christmas Charity Masterclasses, followed by 3 BALANAS concert at Cesu Concert Hall where they were Artists-in-residence for the year 2021. Having made his solo debut at London’s Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall at the age of 16, Roberts has performed extensively across the UK, Europe and Asia ever since. His musical collaborations include eminent artists such as Trevor Pinnock, Miloš Karadaglic, Jess Gillam and Edward Gardner. His performances are regularly featured on Classic FM, The Violin Channel, BBC Radio 3 and Scala Radio amongst others. Balanas is grateful to GVIDO, Yamaha Music, The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Tillett Trust, Albert Cooper Musical Trust for their generous support. He currently performs on a Joannes Francesco Pressenda violin from the Royal Academy of Music collection and a custom made Fortevio 6 string electric violin.
The in-person concert will also be live-streamed to YouTube.