This week our Young Artists Helena Švigelj (cello) and Anna Szałucka (piano) performed for #MiddayMusic. You can watch their videos below. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch all our upcoming videos.  Details of their repertoire can be found in the details section on YouTube.  All of our #MiddayMusic videos can be watched on our exclusive playlist.  Next week we are taking a break from #MiddayMusic, but the week after you can look forward to performances from Eunsley Park (violin) on Monday 5th October and Élisabeth Pion (piano) on Wednesday 7th October.

Helena Švigelj (cello) – Losing herself in Bach

Multi-award winning cellist, Helena Svigelj, regularly performs in ensembles and orchestras around the world. More recently, Helena has been busy tutoring, recording, rehearsing and promoting recent recordings online.

“Before lockdown I made some recordings with my cello duo, Duo Furioso, which we were able to release over the last few months. We also recently recorded a new piece written for us by Slovenian composer, Matija Krečič, and, along with my housemate, Arda Karakaya who’s a violinist, played a few live-streamed concerts (Europik Music, Conservatoire Concerts, et al.). There was a lot of rehearsing, arranging and playing going on, which I adored.

I’ve also been preparing my music students towards their exams and auditions via Zoom which has been a whole new experience!

My choice of music for the Musicians’ Company #MiddayMusic initiative came very naturally to me. Bach suites are the repertoire I go to when I need to feel my internal freedom and permanence. They allow me to lose myself in music and forget about all the noise outside. Bach’s Suite No. 3 has a special place in my career, as it is the suite I won 1st prize at the Vera Kantrovich Bach competition.”

You can find out more about Helena at www.helenasvigelj.com

Anna Szałucka (piano) – 
Seizing the unexpected

“Musicians are used to uncertainty but nothing like the disruption to daily life that came with the pandemic”, says Polish pianist, Anna Szaluka. That said, the pandemic brought Anna unexpected opportunities.

“I made a swift decision to move back to Poland during lockdown, where I built a new website and learnt new repertoire. I also got to spend most of my summer in neighbouring Lithuania where the situation is pretty stable. Now I’m back in London, I’m looking forward to three CD projects, some live/online performances and taking on a new position as chamber coach at the Royal Academy of Music.

Some projects coming up still have a question mark due to the current situation. One confirmed event is a performance at the Bloomsbury Festival in London on the 17 October in Conway Hall. I’ll be performing with another yeoman, the wonderful cellist Margarita Balanas, where we will make some chamber music and she’ll do live painting to my piano playing as well. The programme is oriented around the theme of vision and colours. The concert will be available through YouTube although there is a plan to accommodate a limited, socially-distanced audience. You can get tickets here: https://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/event/the-colours-of-music/

My Musicians’ Company #MiddayMusic concert includes pieces by Gershwin which  
I performed at the Kaunas Piano Fest this summer. The festival focused on the heritage of Litvak ((Lithuanian-Jewish) composers, of which Gershwin is one. It’s joyful, uplifting music that I hope will bring some beauty into listeners’ homes.”

You can find out more about Anna at annaszalucka.com