Prokofiev: Flute Sonata in D major, Op. 94

Shirley Brill studied with Sabine Meyer at the Musikhochschule Lübeck and with Richard Stoltzman at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Her career was launched with a performance as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta. She has since performed with various international orchestras, most recently as a soloist with the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester at the Berliner Philharmonie. She regularly performs with pianist Jonathan Aner as a member of the Brillaner Duo, playing in such halls as the Carnegie Hall and the Beethoven-Haus. Later this year she will tour with the West East Diwan Orchestra on their Beethoven Cycle which visits the BBC Proms.

"Shirley Brill is one of the most accomplished clarinetists of our day ... She is blessed with a beautiful sound, sensitive musicality and a deep understanding for structure." Daniel Barenboim

Renowned flautist Abbie de Quant and pianist Elizabeth van Malde have put together an attractive collection of pieces for flute and piano that in different ways convey a strong sense of movement.

This can be due to dance and folk music influences as in the second sonata by Prokofiev, the sonata by Taktakishvili, and the two pieces, “Sounds of the Forest” and “Allegro Rustico” by Gubaildulina, or, as in the case of “Bewegingen” by Rob du Bois and the “Four Movements” of Robert Zuidam, two Dutch composers, a more abstract approach to motion inherent in the music itself. On a different level, the lyrical quality of Rachmaninov’s “Vocalise” represents flowing, stirring movement which strongly reflects the song-like nature of the piece.

In 1970 Abbie de Quant graduated “summa cum laude” with a soloist’s degree. Over the next years she won many national and international competitions and in 1973 was awarded the Prix d’Excellence. Elizabeth van Malde has performed as soloist with various orchestras and also forged an excellent reputation in the world of chamber music as both a player and coach of young musicians. She also works regularly as an accompanist at international music competitions and festivals.

The repertoire on this debut disc from Baldvinsson and Romero provide a marvellous vehicle to showcase their talent.

Odinn Baldvinsson began his formal music training at the junior department of Trinity College of Music. On completing his course, having been awarded the Hambourg award for improvisation, he went to London College of Music, where he graduated with Honours.

Odinn’s repertoire is wide and varied, ranging from Baroque to 20th. Century and contemporary, and includes most of the flute repertoire’s popular major works. He has attended several master classes with William Bennett and most recently studied with the international flautist Susan Milan. A winner of several competitions, Odinn has performed for music clubs, societies and festivals in England, Switzerland and France. He performed in a series of concerts at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006. For a number of years Odinn has performed regularly London, including St. Martin’s in the Fields and St. James’s Piccadilly. As a soloist, he has played with the Brent Symphony Orchestra, and was principal flute with the Millennium Sinfonia. In 2007 he started a duo with the pianist Patricia Romero and they have given several concerts in and around London, including St. James’s Piccadilly and St. John’s in Harrow on the Hill. This is their first recording.

Patricia Romero studied at Trinity College of Music in London with Joseph Weingarten. While a student there she won several prizes, and graduated with Honours. She subsequently made her London debut at the Wigmore Hall in a recital which was well received by the critics. She has taken Master Classes with Angélica Morales, Bernard Flavigny, Jörg Demus and John Lill. Patricia came to international prominence as the winner of the Yamaha International Piano Competition in Mexico City. Since then she has pursued a busy career, performing an extensive repertoire. She has performed widely in the British Isles, and her foreign travels have taken her to many parts of Europe, and also Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, & the Middle East.

Andreas Haefliger has produced two provocative and acclaimed mixed recital recordings for Avie in his series called Perspectives, juxtaposing standard repertoire with newer works and recreating his recital programs for posterity. On this new disc he is joined by his wife, leading American flautist Marina Piccinini, for an equally stimulating selection that is a pure partnership of equals. Each takes a solo turn – Piccinini with Debussy’s Syrinx and Haefliger with the Liszt arrangement of Wagner’s Liebestod – and they come together for two titans of the flute repertory, the Sonatas of Franck and Prokofiev. To quote MusicWeb, “Programming in this way is in itself an art,” and with such polished performances a recording with obvious appeal.