Sunday September 8th 3 pm

Bradley Creswick (violin) Margaret Fingerhut (piano)

Debussy: Violin sonata in G minor

Franck: Violin sonata in A

Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

Kreisler: Marche Miniature Viennoise

Sarasate: Romanza Andaluza

Ravel: Tzigane

Admission free with retiring collection. No tickets issued beforehand

Bradley Creswick was born in Bognor Regis. He has a long association with Northern Sinfonia going back to 1984 when he was first appointed leader. The musical life then, as now, was amazingly rich and varied, providing some personal highlights such as the EMI recording of Vaughan Williams' Lark Ascending and Concerto Accademico with Richard Hickox, performing Prokofiev's Concerto #2 for Radio 3 and recording all the Handel Op6 Concerti Grossi with George Malcolm. More recent recordings include: Handel Concerti Grossi Op3 for Naxos and the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola by Mozart with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. In 1987 Bradley moved to London to lead the Philharmonia, still maintaining his relationship with the Sinfonia, making guest appearances, notably as soloist with them in the 1989 BBC Proms playing the Lark Ascending. The London years continued as leader of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House before taking the opportunity, in 1994, to return to the Sinfonia and the Northeast for a second time. Working at The Sage Gateshead now provides the chance to play with an even greater variety of musicians, such as James Crabb and Bruce Molsky. Recently, Bradley has been invited twice to the Marlboro Music Festival in America and is asked regularly to guest lead a wide range of orchestras. Playing with friends is a vibrant part of life and he relishes the chance to play with the pianist Margaret Fingerhut, giving recitals around the country; and has occasionally been heard playing western swing fiddle "back home".

Margaret Fingerhut is regarded as one of the most poetic pianists of her generation. As a concerto soloist she has appeared with the LSO, LPO, Philharmonia Orchestra, RPO, BBC Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the London Mozart Players, in major venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican. She is often heard on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. Her extensive and eclectic discography on the Chandos label has received worldwide critical acclaim, and her numerous discs reflect her long-standing fascination with exploring lesser-known repertoire. Many have been selected as Gramophone Critics' Choice, and two of her Bax recordings were short-listed for Gramophone awards. Margaret formerly taught at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, and she is now Professor of Piano at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London, as well as a Visiting Tutor at Birmingham Conservatoire.

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