Next Concert

Saturday, 28th January, 2012, at 7:30

St Peter's Church, St Peter's Street, St Albans

Krommer Partita in F for Wind

Mozart Piano Concerto no. 23 K488

Elgar Serenade for Strings

Haydn Symphony No 89

Simon Thompson Conductor

Alissa Firsova Piano

Alissa Firsova (piano)

Born into a family of composers, Alissa Firsova is a British-Russian pianist, composer and conductor. She completed her piano and composition studies at the Purcell School followed by the Royal Academy of Music where she is currently in her 3rd and final year of the Masters in Conducting course under Colin Metters.

She has appeared as a soloist in major halls and festivals throughout the UK and worldwide and recently gave both her Wigmore Hall and Proms debuts. As a keen chamber musician, Alissa has enjoyed working with distinguished artists such as Stephen Kovacevich, Stephen Isserlis and the Dante Quartet. After winning the BBC/Guardian/Proms Young Composer Competition at the age of 14, Alissa received numerous commissions, recently culminating in a commission for the 2010 Proms festival to do a transcription for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Bach Day, which was conducted by Andrew Litton and broadcast live on BBC2. Her music was also performed and toured by Imogen Cooper, Henning Kraggerud, Dante Quartet, Netherlands Blazer Ensemble, Seattle Chamber Players and the Philharmonia Soloists.

Alissa  gave her conducting debut in November 2010 at the Duke’s Hall, RAM, conducting her self-founded Meladina Ensemble in works by her mother Elena Firsova for her 60th Birthday concert, with soloists Zoya Vyazovskaya and Karine Georgian.  In February 2011 Alissa’s clarinet concerto “Freedom” received its world premiere in Seattle by Laurie de Luca, Christophe Chagnard and the Northwest Sinfonietta.

Future engagements include appearances with the St Albans Symphony Orchestra in Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto on 28th April and with the Bushey Symphony Orchestra in Schumann's Piano Concerto on 7th July, as well as chamber music concerts at the Iffley Society in Oxford, Bledington Festival and in St. Peter's Church, St. Albans throughout May and June.  More details can be found on her website: www.alissafirsova.com.

Alissa's studies at the RAM are generously supported by the L'Association des Amis de Canisy and the Zvi and Ofra Meitar Family Fund .

Tickets information:

Admission: £12

Concessions: £9 for students, seniors and the unemployed and £3 for accompanied school children.

Admission at the door is payable by cheque or cash only.

Advance Sales: St Albans Tourist Information Centre Tel: 01727 864511