Bach Concerto Festival I

The Bach Concert Festival is a series of performances of the most celebrated of Bach's concerti from the Allegri String Quartet and friends.

Born in Israel in 1967, Ofer Falk (violin) studied with the legendary pedagogue Ilona Feher in Tel-Aviv and later with Professor Dora Schwarzberg in Vienna.

Awarded annual scholarships by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation (1981-1992) for solo and Chamber Music studies, Ofer has also won numerous prizes in International competitions including the Henryk Szerying special prize in 1993 and top prizes in the Tchaikovsky 10th International Competition in Moscow 1994 and in the Montreal International Violin Competition 1995.

Ofer is a professor of violin at the Trinity College of Music in London, (where he also teaches chamber music) and is also a member of staff at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

In February 2003, Ofer made his debut performance as soloist with the English Chamber Orchestra and was immediately re-invited for subsequent performances. In the UK, he has also performed concerti at the Barbican, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room. He has performed as soloist with most of the major Israeli Orchestras. In Russia, Ofer has performed as a soloist and recitalist in most of the main venues, including the Bolshoi and Mali Theatres in Moscow.

His performances were broadcast on both radio and television including BBC Radio 3, German Radio-Berlin, Israeli Radio and Television, Russian State Radio and Television, Canadian Radio (CBC).

Ofer is an accomplished chamber musician. He was founder member and leader of the Schidlof Quartet (1994-2001) and the Falk Quartet (2001-2003), performing with such artists as Murray Perahia and Jack Brymer. He has recorded three CDs with the Schidlof Quartet (Linn Records) and one with the Falk Quartet (Black Box Label).

Ofer has frequently appeared as guest leader of the English Chamber Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Dorothea Vogel (Viola) was born in Switzerland and studied with Rudolf Weber in Winterthur. After winning first prize in the Swiss Youth Competition, she won scholarships to study with Paul Coletti at Peabody USA and the Guildhall London with David Takeno and Micaela Comberti, where she graduated with the coveted Concert Recital Diploma. She was a founder member of the Amar Quartet. She has played the baroque viola in the Kings Consort and Florilegium and has been both principal viola in the Gustav Mahler Orchestra and the World Youth Orchestra in Israel. She has appeared as a soloist with the Zurich Kammerorchester and at London's Wigmore Hall. She teaches Chamber Music at Pro Corda. Her viola is by Ludovico Rastelli, Genoa circa 1800.

Katherine Jenkinson (Cello) was born in 1980 in Derbyshire where she began to play the cello at the age of five. Three years later she was accepted as the youngest ever pupil to be taken on by the cellist and teacher, Florence Hooton. In 1998, Katherine was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where she studied with Colin Carr and David Strange. During her years at the Academy, she received ten prizes and awards, performed Shostakovitch Concerto no.1 and Beethoven Triple Concerto with Academy orchestras, graduated with a first class degree, the acclaimed DipRAM and subsequently became a fellow for two years.

In 2001/2 the composer Thomas Hyde wrote an unaccompanied cello suite which was written and dedicated to her. She was recently invited to record this work for the Toccata Classics label for release in 2009. Katherine takes a keen interest in much contemporary music which has led her to work closely with composers such as Arvo Part. Katherine is a member of the London Contemporary Music Group, and performs on occasion with London Sinfonietta and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group amongst others.

Along with the busy schedule of the Allegri Quartet, Katherine is also a member of the Aquinas Piano Trio. They formed in 2008 after years of performing chamber music together and their debut CD is to be released in December 2008.

Katherine has performed as soloist throughout Europe, in Africa and Asia. She gave her Wigmore Hall debut in 2004 and has since returned there three times. In the last few years Katherine has performed concerti by Dvorak, Saints-Saens, Elgar, Haydn, Schumann, Shostakovich, Lalo, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi and Beethoven (triple). She has been kindly supported by trusts including Countess of Munster, Tillett Trust, Dorothy Grinstead, MBF and Worshipful Company of Musicians.

Katherine plays on a 1720 Italian cello by Taningar. She is grateful to the Countess of Munster for their help in the purchase and restoration of this cello

Programme
Teleman - Viola Concerto
Bach - Violin Concerto in E
Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No 6
Bach - Chaconne
Bach - Air 'on a G String'
Handel - Larghetto
Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No 3

Members and Friends of the Allegri Quartet
Ofer Falk Director

For directions click here »

Click here to email a friend about this concert