Hazel Brooks, violin
David Pollock, harpsichord
Hazel Brooks and David Pollock have been charming audiences with their performances since 1999. Fired by a shared commitment to present music of the 17th and 18th centuries in an accessible way, these two prize-winning musicians have performed together throughout the UK and beyond. Of particular note are their highly-acclaimed concerts at the Early Music Festival in Barcelona. Their concerts in 2008 include the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, Fairfield Halls, Fenton House in Hampstead and two concerts for Beaford Arts in Devon as well as Chichester Festivities, Classics at Kirkleatham and the East Finchley Arts Festival.
Programmes by the duo have been praised for their varied and colourful textures. They generally mix much-loved works such as the sonatas of Bach and Handel with pieces by lesser-known composers, and they have devised new programmes for the 2009 anniversaries of Purcell and Handel. Hazel and David have developed a sensitive and communicative performing style which has led to many return invitations from promoters. Spoken introductions bring to life the musical and historical context of each piece and form an important part of their concerts. They have released a CD, L’Eleganza, on the Singing Space label.
www.duodorado.co.uk
Hazel Brooks studied at Clare College, Cambridge. After graduation she went on to study the violin at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Leipzig, and the Guildhall School of Music in London, where she specialised in early music. Here she won the Christopher Kite Memorial Prize and the Bankers Trust Pyramid Award, and she was a finalist in the international competitions in York and Antwerp.
As a baroque violinist, Hazel now works principally as a recitalist and in chamber ensembles such as the Brook Street Band, Fiori Musicali and the Sweelinck Ensemble. Recital venues have ranged from the South Bank Centre in London to the Barcelona Early Music Festival. Hazel is frequently asked to lead orchestras and enjoys appearing as a concerto soloist.
Hazel also has an interest in unusual instruments and her recitals often include the viola d’amore. She is much in demand as a medieval-fiddle specialist throughout Europe and America, and has released recordings with the Boston Camerata, USA (Warner Classics) and duo Trobairitz (Hyperion). She is currently involved in a project combining Western and Moroccan musicians. Hazel has taught at the Guildhall and Trinity College of Music.
‘flexible and virtuosic’ - Boston Herald
David Pollock specialised in the harpsichord at the Royal Academy of Music where he won the Croft Early Music First Prize. Since then he has appeared at such venues as the Purcell Room and St John's Smith Square London, St George's Bristol and St. David's Hall Cardiff. David has given critically acclaimed recitals at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon and has performed in international music festivals in Great Britain and abroad. In demand as a concerto soloist, he recently performed the complete harpsichord concertos of J. S. Bach.
An interest in new music has led to composers writing specially for David. He gave the premiere of a large-scale work Seven Mimicries for Solo Harpsichord by Gavin Stevens, and the composers Colin Hand and Mark Argent are currently preparing pieces for David and his muselar virginals.
Solo CDs are The French Harpsichord and O Mistris Myne:150 years of English virginals music on the London Independent Records label. He is also harpsichordist with The Parnassian Ensemble whose first CD A Noble Entertainment - Music from Queen Anne's London was released in 2006 on the Avie label. David is professor of harpsichord at Chichester University.
‘an assured sense of style and commitment’ - The Scotsman
Praise for the duo
‘Technical and imaginative dexterity…the harpsichord and violin blended together in exquisite harmonies’ - Chichester Observer
‘A huge range of styles, tones and moods… made an excellent all-round performance’ - Richmond Times
‘Inspirational…from the wonderfully dreamy opening to the high-spirited finale!’ - Petersfield Post
Programmes
Click on each title for more details
A Baroque Musical Feast
Viva Vivaldi!
The King's Delight
2009 - An English Baroque Anniversary
Meet Mr Purcell
An Evening with Mr Handel
Concerts 2008/2009
Friday 25 April, 7.30pm - Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre, Huntingdon
A BAROQUE MUSICAL FEAST
Tuesday 6 May, 7.30pm - Beaford Arts at Winkleigh Village Hall, Devon
A BAROQUE MUSICAL FEAST
Sunday 18 May, 11.00am - Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond-upon-Thames
VIVA VIVALDI!
Tuesday 3 June, 1.05pm - Fairfield Halls, Croydon
A BAROQUE MUSICAL FEAST
Friday 6 June, 7.30pm - Beaford Arts at Chittlehampton Church, Devon
A BAROQUE MUSICAL FEAST
Thursday 31 July, 12.00 midday - Fenton House, Hampstead
VIVA ITALIA
Saturday 4 October, 12.30pm - East Finchley Arts Festival, London N2
A BAROQUE MUSICAL FEAST
Wednesday 15 October, 7.30pm - Saddleworth Chamber Concerts - Millgate Arts Centre, Delph
A BAROQUE MUSICAL FEAST
Thursday 16 October, 7.30pm - Classics at Kirkleatham, The Chapel, Sir William Turner's Almshouses, near Redcar
THE KING'S DELIGHT
Saturday 28 February - Totnes Early Music Society
MEET MR PURCELL
Thursday 23 April - St George’s Brandon Hill, Bristol
Programme tba
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