Assembly House Classical presents

Amabile – clarinet, cello and piano trio

Programme

Mieczysław Muczynski – Fantasy Trio (1969)

Ludwig van Beethoven – Trio, Op. 11 (1797)

Ruth Kahn – Trio, Op. 45 (1905)

Thursday 19 February 2026
1.00pm (doors open 12.30pm)
The Assembly House, Norwich

“This accomplished score was heard to full advantage in the
Amabile Trio’s glowing & committed performance.”
Paul Conway / The Musical Opinion Magazine

Amabile has established a reputation for imaginative programming and dynamic performances. As well as performing much-loved classics, Amabile highlights some surprisingly neglected composers, bringing unknown works to their audiences, and also enjoys expanding the repertoire with newly commissioned music.

Lesley Schatzberger (clarinet) was principal clarinet with orchestras including the English Baroque Soloists and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. For 12 years she was a member of Stockhausen’s own ensemble. Now focussing on chamber music, Lesley also teaches at the University of York, which conferred on her an honorary doctorate in 2006, and in 2020 she was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Northern College of Music. In 2025 she was awarded an OBE.

Nicola Tait Baxter (cello) started her career with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields chamber orchestra and performed regularly with many of the London orchestras. For several years she was cellist in the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, performing & giving masterclasses worldwide. Nicola is often invited to give concerto performances and is passionate about chamber music. She holds teaching posts at Harrow and Merchant Taylors’ schools and runs Leading Notes chamber music courses for young string players.

Paul Nicholson (piano) has enjoyed a diverse musical career as an accompanist, chamber musician, soloist and director. Following early experience as coach and accompanist at the Britten-Pears School at Snape, Paul became an increasingly eminent Early Keyboard specialist, playing in many leading period instrument ensembles. He has been Associate Musical Director of the London Handel and Tilford Bach Festivals, and is also an Anglican Priest.

“The opening Allegro [of the Brahms Trio] had a lovely flow here and a delicate ending. In the heat haze conjured by the Adagio, the cello of Nicola Tait Baxter came into its own, entwined closely with Lesley Schatzberger’s idiomatic clarinet. Paul Nicholson’s piano neatly underpinned the lilting Viennese waltz.”
Martin Dreyer / York Late Music Series

https://amabile.uk