City of London Sinfonia

In an exciting first-time collaboration, City of London Sinfonia and pianist Ivana Gavrić present a joyful and vivacious programme that showcases the piano’s versatility.

At the heart of the concert lies Mendelssohn’s seldom-performed Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings in D minor, written when the composer was just 14 years old. The concert also features Bach’s Concerto in F minor for keyboard and strings, in recognition of Mendelssohn’s admiration for Bach.

Both CLS and Ivana Gavrić’s commitment to performing music by female composers is reflected in this evening’s works. Cécile Chaminade’s Autrefois is one of the short lyric piano pieces which were the foundation of her popularity. Louise Farrenc’s Nonet in E flat has been described as a ‘glorious sonic feast’ and is arguably one of her most popular works. Fanny Mendelssohn’s Adagio for violin and piano is a beautiful small-scale work and only the second piece of chamber music she composed.

This is a unique opportunity to hear the piano both as a solo instrument and in conversation with a duet partner, brought to life by Ivana Gavrić and CLS leader Alexandra Wood.