Classical and Jazz: Latest news>May 13
Published: 13 May 2010
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
THERE'S something for everyone in the abundance of interesting concerts and gigs over the next week. Tomorrow (Friday) at the Hinde Street Methodist Chapel in Marylebone, Chinese/international pianist Bobby Chen is playing Beethoven and Chopin alongside pieces by Chinese composer Zhang Zhao. Also tomorrow evening, at the bijou Map Café boutique jazz haunt in Kentish Town, trumpeter Kevin Davy will be playing some cool jazz with his trio.
On Saturday at the Bloomsbury Theatre, there’s a rare opportunity to hear Claude Bolding, a pianist, composer and arranger and conductor of jazz and entertainment music and certainly one of the most famous French musicians of his generation.
On Sunday at Lauderdale House, Opera Vivia is giving another of its excellent opera concerts, this time Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and, up the hill in Highgate itself, the Highgate Choral Society is singing anthems with brass and organ at St Michael’s.
On Monday at the Royal Opera House’s Crush Bar, the Southbank Sinfonia of young professional musicians will be playing at the free lunchtime concert.
On Tuesday at The Forge, Camden Town, there’s an evening of guitar playing by the Hannes Riepler Quartet and the Andy Mandorff Trio.
On Wednesday at the Barbican Centre, French pianist Helene Grimaud is playing Ravel’s piano concerto with the London Symphony Orchesra conducted by Valery Gergiev.
On Thursday at the Kings Place arts centre in King’s Cross, legendary jazz singer Norma Winstone is launching a three-day jazz voice and piano mini-fest. She’ll be playing with long-time partner Italian pianist Glauco Venier. The jazz singing mini-fest is continuing over the next two evenings with stunning Lea Delaria singing with Janette Mason on Friday evening and Claire Martin with Sir Richard Rodney Bennett. That’s more than a mini-fest, it’s a feast of jazz singing.