Music at 10 - The Nano Symphony; Piano, Viola and Clarinet Trio

Programme

1. Bruch, Max: Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, Op. 83

i) Andante

ii) Allegro con moto

iii) Andante con moto

iv) Allegro agitato

v) 'Romanian Melody': Andante

vi) 'Nocturne': Andante con moto

vii) Allegro vivace, ma non troppo

viii) Moderato

2. Reinecke, Carl: Trio in A Major, for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, Op. 264

i) Moderato; Allegro

ii) 'Intermezzo': Moderato

iii) 'Legende': Andante

iv) 'Finale': Allegro moderato

Biographies

Neil Thompson- Viola

Having begun on viola in his hometown Whyalla, Neil's career has taken him all around the world, including to Europe as soloist. Neil has performed and toured with the Adelaide, Melbourne, Tasmanian and Sydney Symphony Orchestras (upon holding an SSO fellowship in 2012), as well as with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and its sister orchestra ACO2 with whom he was an ‘Emerging Artist’. He enjoyed two years of touring with ‘The Cat Empire’ and features as soloist and guest artist on their DVD ‘Live at the Bowl’. Neil regularly performs at the Sydney Opera House with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra for Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet.

Primarily involved in playing chamber-music, he has been fortunate enough to have performed alongside Pekka Kuusisto, Kristian Winther, Richard Tognetti, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Simone Young, Brett Dean, Lisa Moore and others.
2015 proved to be a particularly exciting year for him having been invited to join the highly acclaimed 'Omega Ensemble' as well as co-founding 'The Nano Symphony' with his wife, clarinettist Catherine Thompson - www.thenanosymphony.com

With previous conducting mentors including Richard Gill and Keith Crellin, Neil is currently conductor/director of Killara High’s orchestras and has directed performances of Schubert’s ‘Great’ 9th Symphony (in Adelaide) and Faure’s Requiem with the Mosman Symphony Orchestra, Sydney.

Catherine Thompson – Clarinet

Catherine is a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium of Music having obtained her Bachelor of Music in Performance with First Class Honours. She was a recipient of the prestigious Helpmann Academy Grant which allowed her to undertake two Professional Development Tours in Germany where she studied with Ralph Manno, Chen Halevi, Norbert Kaiser and Wolfgang Meyer. Catherine has also performed in master-classes with Sabine Meyer, Paul Dean and Nuno Silver.

She has performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra, the Elder Conservatorium Symphony and Wind Orchestras and has participated in the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Career Development Program and National Music Camp. As a soloist, Catherine has performed Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra to a sold out audience, to critical acclaim. She is highly passionate about Chamber Music and is a founding member of chamber group ‘The Nano Symphony’ -www.thenanosymphony.com.

Catherine is also a Yoga Teacher and Holistic Health Coach with a passion for inspiring people to embrace natural health and wellbeing. If you would like to know more you can follow her atwww.eoswellbeing.com.

Lee Akinsanya - Piano

Lee Akinsanya (née Cheong) was born in Sydney and studied piano with Elizabeth Powell whilst attending the Conservatorium High School. Lee went on to undertake her BMus with Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium learning from Stephanie McCallum. She was awarded two merit scholarships in 2007 and again in 2008. Lee was a finalist in the Australian National Piano Award in 2008.
In the following year Lee travelled abroad to study in the UK at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Stephen Savage. Lee performed in many concerts at the RNCM including the Lunchtime Recital series, Chopin Festival and Open Day. During her studies she was a recipient of the Tait Memorial Trust Award and the Australian Bicentennial Award and also received an entrance scholarship from the RNCM.
After completing her MMus in 2011 Lee performed in numerous solo and duo concerts around the UK. These concerts included performing in London at the Royal Over-Seas League, duo concert for Chorlton Arts Festival and lunchtime concerts at Lincoln Cathedral, Wakefield Cathedral and Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery.
Lee returned to Sydney in 2013 and has since performed in many solo and chamber music concerts. In 2015 she became a member of the Nano Symphony. In addition to performing Lee teaches piano at St Aloysius’ College and the Conservatorium High School.
www.leecheong-pianist.com