YOUNG SOLOISTS CONCERT

Saturday 26th April 2025

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The third Young Soloists Concert took place at St Mary the Virgin Church in Hurley last April, and once again the audience was treated to stunning, virtuosic performances by four young rising stars in their chosen fields. 

 

Lucy Palfery, who lives in Maidenhead, opened the programme with three highly entertaining pieces from Eugene Bozza and Alyssa Morris which demonstrated the depth of her technical and musical skills. Her musical expression captivated everyone in the church and set the bar very high for the rest of the concert.

 

She was followed by the cellist Kiki Skinner, just 15 years old and now studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School. She had previously been heard playing as soloist with the Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra, winning the Young Musician Concerto competition.

Kiki performed pieces by Prokofiev, two Fantasiestucke by Robert Schumann, and a brilliant rendition of the Dance of the Green Devil by Gaspar Cassado which raised a tremendous response from the audience.

 

After the interval, Aidan Zhao, a 13 year old pianist who is studying at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, delivered a virtuoso programme of Franz Liszt’s “La Leggierezza”, Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, and to finish Beethoven’s “Rage over a lost penny” – a Rondo of restless scampering energy.

 

The fourth soloist was Swedish mezzo soprano Klara Solen, who is studying at the Royal Academy of Music. Klara had previously studied at Kapellsbergs Opera in Sweden, and it was evident as soon as she commenced her programme of Schumann and Grieg that the audience was listening to a future star singer, with her huge, mellifluous mezzo voice negotiating the demands of the songs with ease. Her final two pieces were from opera, “Seguedilla” from Carmen, and “Non piu mesta” from Rossini’s La Cenerentola.

 

This was quite a concert – some commented that it has been the best so far. Everyone was unanimous that it was of the highest quality and the talent on display was amazing.

 

Another Young Soloists Concert will form part of the 2026 Festival, on Saturday 2nd May at 7pm. Book early to avoid disappointment!