Kathryn Stott
pianist
artistic director
Manchester Chamber Concerts Society
www.chamberconcerts.org
Founded
in 1936 by Philip Godlee, the MCCS has established
itself to be one of the UKs formost chamber series.
With concerts taking place at the Royal Northern
College of Music, the society has played host to
a distinguished array of artists from around the
world. Kathryn will begin programming from the
2009/10 season.
PARIS - 13th-15th October
2006, Crucible Studio, Sheffield
A series of 5 concerts celebrating some of the great composers who have
passed through Paris, making this one of Europe's most exciting melting
pots of creativity!
Artists performing were Kathryn Stott and Jin
Ju (piano), Federico Mondelci, (saxophone) Christian
Poltéra, (cello) and the Katona Twins (guitars).
All programmes combined artists and featured
music by Faure, Debussy, Ravel, Françaix,
Dutilleux, Boulanger plus other French composers,
alongside music by Stravinsky, Honegger, Rodrigo,
Granados, Albeniz, Chopin, Liszt, Copland and Piazzolla.
Chopin: The Music and the Legacy
28 September 2004 - 15 March 2005
With a considerable reputation for imaginative planning and engaging programming Kathryn Stott was invited by the Leeds International Concert Season to devise a series of seven concerts, ‘Chopin: The Music and The Legacy’, at The Venue, Leeds College of Music. The programmes drew on the music of composers who inspired Chopin and those who were in turn inspired by his distinctive contribution to the piano repertoire and his unique position in the history of music. The chamber and solo recitals involved Kathryn herself alongside such musical collaborators as Aleksander Madzar, Jin Ju, Marc-André Hamelin, Polina Leschenko, Christian Poltéra and Nelson Goerner.
Piano 2003
14 March - 30 March 2003 The Bridgewater Hall
Following the extraordinary success of Piano 2000, when The Bridgewater Hall and foyers resounded gloriously with the sound of Steinway pianos, Piano 2003 drew together some of the world's finest pianists for a second special celebration of this most remarkable of instruments. Another pianistic extravaganza, the festival contained a wide range of music, along with an exciting programme of informal events. Performances by the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata as well as international recitals were complemented by free foyer events, coffee concerts, late-night cabaret, masterclasses, pre-concert talks and education workshops. Kathryn's programming was shot through with American jazz overtones as well as a distinct Russian flavour. Among those helping to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg (with which Manchester is twinned) were Nikolai Demidenko, Galina Gorkachova, Angela Hewitt, Martin Roscoe, Peter Donohoe, Grigory Sokolov, Mikhail Rudy, Barry Douglas, Pascal Rogé, Jean-Philippe Collard, Nelson Goerner, Noriko Ogawa, Piers Lane, Krystian Zimerman, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Skampa and St. Petersburg Quartets.
Piano 2000
4 – 19 February 2000
After the success of these previous festivals, Kathryn Stott was invited by The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, to devise an appropriately celebratory event for the new millennium. She chose to focus on the piano, with all its associations and in all its many roles. Two years of detailed planning culminated in February 2000, with over 50 events, embracing classical piano, jazz, cabaret, tango, piano-poetry, childrens' music, coffee concerts, late-night concerts providing something for everyone to enjoy. Most thrilling of all, was the fabulous opportunity for members of the public to play the famous Red Ferrari Steinway Concert Grand which, along with many other Steinways, was situated in the foyer throughout the festival. Artists taking part included Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alicia de Larrocha, Julian Joseph, Alexander Melnikov, Martin Roscoe, Nelson Goerner, Stephen Hough, John Lill, Grigory Sokolov, Howard Shelley, Noriko Ogawa, Anna Kravtchenko, Yo-Yo Ma, The Lindsays, London Winds and Manchester's three resident orchestras - BBC Philharmonic, Hallé and Manchester Camerata. As a result of the incredible audience response, as well as the unprecedented national and international critical recognition Piano 2000 attracted, The Bridgewater Hall soon asked Kathryn Stott to plan another Piano Festival.
Out of the Shadows
June 1998
In 1998 the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra invited Kathryn Stott to be Artistic Director of a short series of concerts at Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Taking the lives and times of Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn as its theme, the sequence of programmes focused on both women's music as well as exploring their extraordinary careers. The orchestral concerts featured the Piano Concerto written by the 14 year-old Clara Wieck, alongside works by Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Brahms. In another concert Fanny Mendelssohn's Piano Trio was given a rare and highly successful outing while an evening of songs and readings illuminated the stark contrast in the two women's lives.
Fauré and the French Connection
April 24 – May 6 1995
In 1995 Kathryn Stott decided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the French composer, Gabriel Fauré. She single-handedly organised a two- week festival, with 12 concerts at the Free Trade Hall and Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. The BBC Philharmonic and Yan Pascal Tortelier played a vital role in the orchestral concerts, with guest soloists Yo-Yo Ma, Raphael Oleg, Olivier Charlier, Sally Burgess and Michael George appearing with them. Artists appearing in the international chamber concerts included Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Della Jones, Malcolm Martineau, the Labeques and Sarah Walker. The concerts featured solely French music, highlighting the often-underestimated compositions of Fauré, along with works by Chausson, Dukas, Ravel, Poulenc, Duparc, Chabrier and others. BBC Radio 3 played a significant supporting role in broadcasting eight concerts, helping to establish the festival as one of the year's major artistic events. Following the Fauré festival, Kathryn Stott was appointed Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Government.
