Pianist Plays at Popular Coffee Morning Concert

The new series of Coffee Concerts at Rook Lane Chapel, Frome, got underway on Sunday, with a performance by Duo Dorado. The second concert on Sunday January, 26 features a return visit by the exceptional young pianist, Cordelia Williams.

The series is then rounded off with an appearance by the acclaimed Italian string quartet, Quartetto di Cremona, who have established an international reputation and rarely play outside major venues.

The quality of these concerts has resulted in a great demand for tickets and consequently the first and third concerts are now sold out.

There are a few tickets available for the recital by Cordelia Williams which may be purchased at £11 by sending a SAE and cheque payable to ‘Frome Concerts Group’ to FCG, Zachary’s Mill, Egford Hill, Frome BA11 3JP.

Since becoming the Piano Winner of BBC Young Musician 2006, Cordelia has continued to build an international career as one of the outstanding pianists of her generation.

She has given recital and concerto performances throughout Europe, Thailand, China, America, Kenya and the Gulf States, and always likes to introduce the music to her audience.

She has recently been awarded first prize at the Concours International de Piano in Aix-en-Provence and 2nd prize at the Dudley International Piano Competition.

Her first CD, featuring Schubert’s complete Impromptus for SOMM Recordings, was released last July. She will record a second CD, music by Schumann, in the summer.

Solo performance highlights for Cordelia have included a Wigmore Hall debut, as well as concerto appearances with orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, London Mozart Players and Northern Sinfonia.

Cordelia is a passionate chamber musician – in May 2008 she appeared with the Endellion String Quartet and has since performed with the Fitzwilliam and Maggini String Quartets and principal members of the London Mozart Players.

Alongside her performing career, Cordelia runs Cafe Muse, an innovative series of events bringing classical music out of the concert hall and into the relaxed setting of bars and brasseries.

She hopes to attract a new audience to classical music, especially people of her own generation.

She recently received an award from London’s prestigious new City Music Foundation, which she will use partly to develop a cross-arts project based on the music of Messiaen.

Hearing her mother teach piano, Cordelia wanted to learn to play too, and began lessons at home as soon as she could climb on to the piano stool.

She gave her first public piano recital to celebrate her eighth birthday.

She spent seven years at Chethams School of Music in Manchester, studying with Bernard Roberts and Murray McLachlan.

Cordelia went on to read Theology at Clare College, Cambridge, while also having piano lessons with Hamish Milne in London. She graduated with a First in 2009 and then completed a Masters in Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she studied with Joan Havill.

She was then invited to become a Fellow of the Guildhall School.

Each concert starts at Rook Lane from 11.30am and there will probably be a few return tickets available on the door at about 11.20am for anyone who is keen to not to miss these events.

Further information can be found at www.fromeconcertsgroup.org.