Viola Sonatas of the 19th Century: Somerset Peede and Stefan Christie

Join violist Somerset Peede and pianist Stefan Christie for an evening devoted to rarely performed 19th century works for viola and piano. This recital features two substantial sonatas by Philipp Scharwenka and Henri Vieuxtemps, composers whose contributions to the viola repertoire deserve wider recognition.

Philipp Scharwenka's Viola Sonata (1899) showcases the composer's gift for lyrical melody and harmonic sophistication, while Vieuxtemps' B-flat Major Sonata (1863) demonstrates the composer's deep understanding of string instruments, featuring evocative character pieces within its three-movement structure.

Programme

Sonata for Viola and Piano (1899) by Philipp Scharwenka 
   I. Fantasia 
   II. Allegretto
   III. Allegro

Sonata in B-flat Major for Viola and Piano (1863) by Henri Vieuxtemps
   I. Maestoso
   II. Barcarolla
   III. Finale scherzando

With guest pianist Michael Song

About the Artists

Somerset Peede (viola) has been deemed by reviewers as "exemplary no matter the music" for her work with the Guildhall Bauhaus Band (Nightshift Magazine) and a chamber musician who truly "ha[s] fun" on stage (The Greenwood Commonwealth). Somerset thrives in a wide array of performance settings, having performed with organizations including the London Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Ballet, Trackdown Studios, and Middleburg Film Festival. She has appeared at venues worldwide including the Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art, Barbican Centre, Charterhouse Chapel, Zionskirche, Sydney Opera House, and Oxford University. An avid performer of new music, Somerset has given more than a dozen world premieres.

Somerset graduated from the Blair School of Music (Vanderbilt University, USA) with a Bachelor of Music Performance & Highest Honors in Musicology, and completed her Masters in Orchestral Artistry at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra. She is currently pursuing her second Master of Music Studies with Roger Benedict at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Stefan Christie (piano) has performed widely as both a soloist and chamber musician in the United Kingdom, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, and the United States. He holds a Bachelor of Music and Honours degree from the University of Melbourne where he studied with Janine Sowden, as well as a Graduate Certificate and a Master's Degree in Piano Performance from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he studied with Lucy Parham, Peter Bithell, and Caroline Palmer.

During his collegiate studies, Stefan participated in masterclasses with esteemed pianists including Joan Havill, Alexandre Dossin, Kenji Fugimura, Jerry Wong, Charles Owen, Igor Machlak, Noriko Ogawa, Laura Roberts, Carole Presland, Richard Goode, Philip Jenkins, and Imogen Cooper. A passionate collaborator, Stefan has performed extensively with string players, singers, and other instrumentalists in both duo and ensemble settings. His love of chamber music continues to play a central role in his performance life. He is the recipient of several major awards, including the FW Homewood Scholarship, Donovan-Johnston Memorial Scholarship, the Prestigious Travelling Scholarship, and a Guildhall Financial Award.