Time: 7:30 PM

Date: 20/02/15

Location:

The Multi-Faith Centre

The Multi-Faith Centre University of Derby Kedleston Road Derby DE22 1GB

Other Information:

Christine McMaster [“A dynamic & vivacious performer with a unique and imaginative approach to curating”] is performing John MacDonald Mackenzie’s “No. 1 Sun Rising & No. 2 Sun Going Down” alongside Debussy’s “Preludes, Book 1” (complete), Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata in E flat” (Op. 31 No. 3) and Charles Ives’ “The Alcotts”.

From her own website, here is her impressive biography:

British pianist Christina McMaster is a dynamic and vivacious performer with unique and imaginative approach to curating, programming and commissioning.  She has a passion for performing contemporary music, collaborating with a wide range of musicians and sharing her enthusiasm for music with others through educational projects.

Aged 15 she gained a place at the Purcell School, continuing her studies with Yonty Solomon and Douglas Finch at Trinity Laban and graduating with a first from The Royal Academy of Music where she studied with her inspirational mentor Joanna MacGregor.

Recent performances include at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room on the Southbank, Aldeburgh Festival, Guiting Festival, the Wilderness Festival, The Saatchi Gallery and Ronnie Scott’s. In 2014 she was commissioned by Joanna MacGregor to curate two days of events for the Royal Academy of Music Summer Piano Festival. For this she programmed and directed a kaleidoscopic range of musical events including premieres, improvisation, animations, film and theatre for which she mentored over 30 students.

Christina is passionate about collaborating with a diverse mix of genres and arts. She is a member of Sky Arts Award winning company Silent Opera, who this year created a new Opera through an Aldeburgh Open Space Residency.  Other recent collaborations have involved working with drama students at Central Saint Martins under the direction of Richard Williams, with violinist Lizzie ball, rapper Tor Cesay and with designers Mother of Pearl for their London Fashion Week show, subsequently she will be performing for DAKS in The Paul Hamlyn Hall, Royal Opera House this September.

Christina has performed extensively as a chamber musician and was awarded the CAVATINA Chamber Music and Audience Prize in 2011. She has collaborated with the Ligeti Quartet, Brodowski Quartet and trumpeter Imogen Hancock. She performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.2 with the Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra and in was pianist with The EUYO for a European Tour of Film Music. Christina is the founder of all-female Ensemble WOW! –  a new  ensemble dedicated to presenting inspired and imaginative programmes of contemporary music with the WOW factor! Through their experience and passion for contemporary music, original collaborations and innovative commissions they are an ensemble setting themselves apart.

In 2013 she was selected to perform Birtwistle’s Harrison’s Clocks in The Duke´s Hall in the presence of the composer. She has also performed Peter Maxwell Davies’ Trumpet and Piano Sonata for Elgar Howarth and as part of a masterclass with Håkan Hardenberger. She performed Nicholas Maw’s Ghost Dances with the Manson Ensemble at The Queen Elizabeth Hall and John Cage’s cult classic Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano at The Purcell Room. Christina has worked with Stephen Montague on many of his works and regularly performs his music, and in January will perform with Stephen at King´s Place as part of the Minamilism unwrapped festival. In 2012 Christina was repetiteur for Birmingham Opera’s production of Mittwoch aus Licht by Karlheinz Stockhausen.

Christina also works alongside young emerging composers, commissioning and performing new works. She recently premiered Theatre of Resonance by BASCA winning composer Richard Bullen - a piano and video duo written for Christina. She has also performed works by Freya Waley-Cohen at Listenpony contemporary music events and commissioned a new solo piano piece by Alex Brusentsev (LPO’s Leverhulme Young Composer) for a performance at Sound Festival, Scotland 2014. 

Christina is passionate about music education and in 2013 she was awarded the Jacob Barnes Award for a collaborative and education project involving young pianists from Camden borough schools and The Ligeti Quartet which culminated in a sell-out performance at The Forge, Camden. Christina has given several lectures at The University of Arts, London and has recently been appointed a visiting Postgraduate lecturer at The Royal Academy of Music, London.