i Allegro vivo, ii Intermède, iii Finale: Très animé
This was Debussy’s last work, and it cost him dearly. Depression induced by war, with aggressive cancer causing debilitation and intense pain, this should have been a morose piece. But, inspired by the then little known baroque keyboard music of the likes of Couperin and Rameau, it is joyous – and all too short. Like Reger and Ysaӱe he was looking back to find renewal. If you think of cats and kittens as you listen to this, you won’t be alone.
Lili Boulanger wrote the Nocturne aged eighteen, in 1911, originally scored for violin and piano. It shows, in its clean lines, lightish texture and the almost ironically sudden dismissal of its pseudo-romantic climax, a move back in tone towards the music of earlier French composers, while the little quotation at the end from Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune surely looks forward to a future in which Wagner would no longer hold the reins of power. (Roger Nichols)
i Adagio sostenuto – Presto
ii Andante con variazioni
iii Presto
The Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47, by Ludwig van Beethoven, is an 1803 sonata for piano and violin notable for its technical difficulty, unusual length (around 40 minutes), and emotional scope. It is commonly known as the Kreutzer Sonata after the violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer, to whom it was ultimately dedicated, but who thoroughly disliked the piece and refused to play it.
Sharon Zhou & Thomas Masciaga (Violin/Piano Duo)
Named one of the 2026 Classic FM Rising Stars, Sharon is a British violinist and composer, currently studying at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna and is an artist at the Davidsbündler Academy in The Hague. From a young age, she has performed throughout the UK, Europe and China as both a soloist and chamber musician, making her concerto debut at the age of fourteen with Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. She has collaborated with renowned artists including Christian Altenburger, Adrian Brendel, Ana Chumachenco, Ernst Kovacic and Boris Kuschnir, amongst others. In addition, Sharon has been a laureate of several competitions, such as 1st prize at the North London Music Festival, the Colonel Howes Prize at the Eastbourne Young Soloist Competition and the Silver Award at Internationale Musikfest Wien, where she made her debut at the Musikverein. Most recently, she premiered her first two compositions, “Prima o poi” for violin and piano and “Solace” for solo violin. She was also a recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Julius Isserlis Scholarship. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the Royal College of Music under the guidance of Detlef Hahn, Daniel Rowland and Peter Manning.
Born in Italy to an Anglo-Italian family, Thomas Masciaga started playing the piano at the age of seven. When he was 12, he made his recital debut in Siena, at Teatro dei Rozzi, and subsequently won several national and international competitions. At the age of 15, Thomas began commuting between Italy and London to attend the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he was awarded the coveted Piano Prize. Thomas continued his undergraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Paul Roberts and Joan Havill. Since graduating with a first-class Bachelor’s degree he was then awarded the prestigious Concert Recital Diploma. He subsequently studied on the postgraduate course with Lucy Parham and Charles Owen and is now pursuing his studies on the Artist Diploma course.
During his studies in London, Thomas has regularly performed solo recitals and concertos in both England and Italy, including venues such as St. James’s Piccadilly, Bechstein Hall and Milton Court, Barbican. Most recently, Thomas was a prize winner at the 2025 Intercollegiate Sheepdrove Piano Competition, where he also won a Robert Turnbull Award. Thomas has received ongoing support and mentoring from Konstantin Bogino at Accademia Perosi in Biella and since 2024 has been a Talent Unlimited Artist.
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