i Von fremden Ländern und Menschen: From foreign parts, ii Kuriose Geschichte: Funny story, iii Hasche-Mann: Blindman’s buff, iv Bittendes Kind: Entreating Child, v Glückes genug: Perfect Happiness, vi Wichtige Begebenheit: Important Event, vii Träumerei: Dreaming, viii Am Kamin: By the fireside, ix Ritter von Steckenpferd: On the rocking horse, x Fast zu ernst: Almost too serious, xi Fürchtenmachen: Frightening, xii Kind im Einschlummern: The child falling asleep, xiii Der Dichter spricht: The Poet Speaks
Movement 7, Träumerei, is one of Schumann's best known pieces; it is the theme of the 1947 Hollywood film Song of Love, and Träumerei is the title of a 1944 German biographical film on Schumann.
i Allegro, ii Air. Andante, iii Allegretto, iv Vivo
This wind quintet is in a dry, neoclassical polytonal style, with resemblance to the Parisian “Les Six” as well as other soviet composers. Melodic and rhythmic interest is shared out evenly amongst the ensemble, although she often favours unison writing for the three high winds. The second movement contains a notable feature for the horn.
“Daylight Savings” is the first work written specifically for the Dogoda Quintet. The composer writes of it: “‘Daylight Savings’ is a wind quintet that is meant to embody the warmth and light of a sunrise. I thought it also had quite a heroic feel, hence the ‘Savings’ part of the title. The piece was not written to try to push contemporary compositional boundaries, but rather just be a fun piece to play and listen to.”
i Allegro con spirito, ii Rubato Lamentoso, iii Allegro Grazioso, iv Presto ruvido, v Adagio Mesto. Bela Bartok in Memoriam, vi Molto vivace, Capriccioso
The Six Bagatelles are arrangements by Ligeti of a selection from his eleven-movement piano cycle “Musica Ricercata” (1953) in which the first movement is restricted to only two, pitches, the second to three, building up to the full twelve notes of the Western chromatic scale in the final movement. The opening Bagatelle showcases this method and its potential by generating multiple exciting ideas from just four pitches. In the work’s premier, the set was performed without the finale, as it is was considered “too dangerous” by the Soviet Hungarian authorities.
Red Clay is short work that combines the traditional idea of musical scherzo with living in the South. It references the background of my mother’s side of the family that hails from the Mississippi delta region. From the juke joints and casino boats that line the Mississippi river, to the skin tone of kinfolk in the area: a dark skin that looks like it came directly from the red clay. The solo lines are instilled with personality, meant to capture the listener’s attention as they wail with “bluesy” riffs that are accompanied (‘comped’) by the rest of the ensemble. The result is a virtuosic chamber work that merges classical technique and orchestration with the blues dialect and charm of the south.
Dogoda Quintet (Wind ensemble)
Formed at the Royal Academy of Music after playing together as principals in the National Youth Orchestra, Dogoda Quintet is fast becoming recognised as an up-and-coming ensemble of its generation of the UK chamber music scene. Dogoda has received coaching through the Royal Academy of Music from Amy Harman of the Orsino Ensemble, Michael Thompson of the Michael Thompson Wind Quintet and Jo Cole, the previous head of strings at the Royal Academy of Music.
Sofia Patterson-Gutierrez (Flute) is 19, from Stockport, and has just completed her first year studying with Michael Cox at the Royal Academy of Music in London on a full scholarship. Previous to the Academy, she attended Chetham’s School of Music where she studied with Fiona Fulton. She went on to win the Chetham’s concerto competition in 2021 and was the woodwind grand finalist of the BBC Young Musician competition 2022. She was also the principal flute of the National Youth Orchestra in 2022 and 2023. Sofia is very grateful for the opportunities at the Royal Academy, having played as principal in the Academy Symphony Orchestra and was the recent winner of the piccolo prize.
Emily Long (Oboe) is in her second year reading music at Clare College Cambridge. Currently studying the oboe with Christopher Cowie, she previously attended the junior department of the Royal Academy of Music where she performed the Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto. Her passion for orchestral music was fuelled by her time as the principal oboist of the National Youth Orchestra in 2022 and 2023 and she currently plays with Odyssey Festival Orchestra and the Cambridge University Orchestra, as well as other chamber groups and orchestras throughout the university. She has enjoyed performing in recent masterclasses with Alexei Ogrintchouk and Nicholas Daniel.
Raj Bhaumik (Clarinet) studied at the Music School of Douglas Academy and Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, before starting his undergraduate degree at the Royal Academy of Music in 2023 on an ABRSM Scholarship. Raj studies Clarinet with Christopher Richards and Sonia Sielaff, E-Flat Clarinet with Chi-Yu Mo and Historical Clarinets with Katherine Spencer. He has enjoyed playing in the Academy Symphony Orchestra and in masterclasses with Andrew Marriner, Patrick Messina, Anthony McGill and Yehuda Gilad. Raj was a member of NYOGB for 5 years, including one as principal and with a feature on BBC Radio 3’s “In Tune.” He has won awards from Glasgow Music Festival and the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain.
Chloe Harrison (Horn) is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music under a full scholarship (Drapers Company for Music Award) with Michael Thompson and Martin Owen.
Recent performances include Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with James Gilchrist, Mozart’s 4th horn concerto with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, and Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with the Camerata Chamber Orchestra.
In addition, Chloe has performed at the prestigious Wigmore Hall both as a soloist and an ensemble player, a highlight being the Schubert Octet with the Academy Soloists Ensemble.
Chloe was Joint Principal Horn in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 2022 and 2023.
Tom Donkin (Bassoon) grew up in Garlieston, Wigtownshire and was a pupil at the Douglas Ewart High School, Newton Stewart. He started learning (mini)bassoon when he was eight. During these early stages, he was taught by Christine Job. When Tom was 11, he successfully auditioned for the Junior Conservatoire (JC) where he studied bassoon with Rebecca Roberts. Thanks to Rebecca’s encouragement, he successfully auditioned for the Grampian Youth Orchestra (age 13), the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain (also age 13), the West of Scotland Schools Orchestra (age 17) and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britan (age 16 and 17). Tom was one of the joint principals of the bassoon section for NYO. In 2022, Tom was one of the winners for the JC’s Concerto Competition. As a result, he played the Weber Bassoon Concerto, accompanied by the JC’s Symphony Orchestra. Locally, Tom participated in the Galloway Music Festival since he was seven and regularly played at the fund-raising concerts for the Festival and other good causes. Tom is now under the tutelage Robin O’Neil and Fraser Gordon and is studying for a BMus in Bassoon at the Royal Academy of Music.
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