This was a tremendously enjoyable evening!
The first guitarist in the history of Breinton, Kotone Ozaki amazed us by her beautiful tone with no impurity and lovely sonority. While maintaining impressive serenity, her performance had something powerful and strong-willed which kept the audience totally silent. I know nothing about this instrument, but even so, it was apparent that her technical skill was masterful.
Izzie Kauer, the violinist who had declared to us two years ago that she wanted to perform at Breinton, invited the audience to join her music-making with her charming and infectious personality, which shone throughout her performance. And it also showed Izzie’s witty side and boldness!
All four performers had their own personality, and pianist Annie McChrystal was no exception. In fact, the programme she chose reflected herself; the selection of Chopin, Rachmaninov and Debussy suited her excellently. A very thoughtful performer, she was constantly tuned to her sound, which brought out such a sensitive feeling. And she had amazing focus as well.
Imaan Kashim, our second violinist, demonstrated extraordinary maturity and musical depth. Her programme of Prokofiev and Hubay was extremely challenging, but it seemed that she was turning the challenges into her enjoyment. She understood the piano part well, which enabled her to get the tricky timings right, and above all, she had a ‘vibe’ which the audience enjoyed so much.
Needless to say, our piano partner to the violinists, Alison Rhind, was as fantastic as ever. Her expertise meant that she brought out the best of the performers.
We also thank the Deputy Mayor of Woking, Councillor Saj Hussein, for attending the recital and for his kind words at the end of the evening.
Kotone Ozaki was born in 2003 and started studying the classical guitar at the age of 3 with Mr Noboru Muraji. She began to play the piano when she was five years old.
While studying at a music specialist middle school in Tokyo, she had notable successes with prominent competitions; the first prize at the Classical Guitar Competition, which is one of the biggest guitar competitions in Japan, and the fourth prize in the Under 14 Category of the Guitar Foundation of America Competitions, one of the most well-known guitar competitions in the world. Also while at the middle school, Kotone had a chance to play the viola da gamba and sanxian (Chinese lute), and learned voice
Isabelle Kauer is 16 years old, lives in Godalming and attends Guildford High School. She started violin lessons at the age of 7 and attended the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music on Saturdays for five years. She is now a private pupil of renowned teacher Lutsia Ibragimova.
Isabelle has won 1st prizes at several music festivals including the Junior Recital prize at the Farnham Music Festival and the Advanced Strings prize at the Woking Music Festival. She has also appeared as part of the Guildford Institute Young Performers series. She made her concerto debut aged 9 with the London Chamber Players Orchestra, playing 1st violin in Bach’s concerto for two violins.
Annie McChrystal has had a great love for music from a young age. Her first piano teacher was Marlene Fleet who fired up her passion for the instrument and for music generally, and this interest has continued. Annie is now studying with Julia Freeman at St Catherine's School, Bramley, where she is the Junior Jennifer Bate Organ Scholar. Annie particularly enjoys the collaborative element of chamber music work and accompanying; she is also a competent violinist.
Annie has had regular competitive success at various local festivals and reached the final of the Woking Young Musician of the Year in both 2017 and 2018. She also reached the semi final of the Rotary Young Musician of the Year.
Imaan Kashim is fifteen, a home-schooled student of the Royal College of Music Junior Department (RCM JD) where she studies violin with Professor Viktoria Grigoreva, alongside classical guitar, composition and conducting.
In recent years, Imaan has been invited to perform at the Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie by the American Festival of Fine Arts, in addition to being selected as finalist for Woking Young Musician, Silk Street Sinfonia’s Senior Concerto Competition, the RCM JD Marjorie Humby Competition and the Haslemere String Competition.
Alison Rhind is recognised as one of the leading collaborative pianists specialising in the repertoire for piano and strings. Her ability to accompany was recognised and nurtured at an early age whilst still at Chetham’s School of Music and she became increasingly in demand throughout her time at Oxford University where she read Music at Wadham College. Chetham’s invited her back immediately she had finished her degree but she completed her studies with Edith Vogel at the Guildhall School of Music before returning there.
- Kotone Ozaki, guitar
- Bach: Cello Suite No. 2
- Isabelle Kauer, violin & Alison Rhind, piano
- Suk: Liebeslied
- Kreisler: Tambourin Chinois Op. 3
- Prokofiev: Grand Waltz & Mazurka from Cinderella Op. 87
- Annie McChrystal, piano
- Chopin: Nocturne in F sharp major, Op. 15 No. 2
- Rachmaninov: Etudes Tableaux Op. 39 No. 2 and Op. 33 No. 2
- Debussy: Preludes
- Imaan Kashim, violin & Alison Rhind, piano
- Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2, 1st Movement
- Hubay: Carmen Fantasy