SAKUNTALA TRIO 

18th May 2024 18:30

Booking link

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/amaryllis-music-concert-tickets-888378663497?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Rebecca Chan - Violin

Sascha Bota - Viola

Brian O’Kane - Cello

Program:

Henry Purcell (arr. Peter Warlock)
1. Three-Part Fantasias No. 1, Z. 732, No. 2, Z. 733 and No. 3 , Z. 734



Franz Schubert
 String Trio in B-flat major, D.471 (compl. Brian Newbould): 
2. Allegro
 3. Andante sostenuto
 4.Scherzo & Trio
 5. Allegretto

BIOGRAPHIES


Rebecca Chan, Violin

Rebecca Chan was born in Melbourne and studied violin with Alice Waten at the Australian National Academy of Music and Sydney Conservatorium and with William Hennessy at Melbourne University, where she also completed degrees in Medicine and Arts.

Now based in London, Rebecca has been Associate Leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra since 2018 and has been invited as guest leader of many other orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. She has also been guest principal second violin with the LSO, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata Bern and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Rebecca was the winner of the string section and Nelly Apt Scholarship in the ABC Young Performers Awards, the ANAM concerto competition and the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition and was a prizewinner at the International Citta di Brescia Violin Competition. She has played as soloist with a number of orchestras, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide, Tasmanian and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, Mikkeli City Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Rebecca has toured Australia, Europe and Asia and played in numerous festivals around the world and in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna and Concertgebouw Amsterdam as well as in regular series at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Recital Centre. Rebecca was a founding member of the Hamer Quartet (winners of the first prize, the audience prize and Musica Viva award in the 2009 Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition) and the Australia Piano Quartet. She was a core member and regular guest director of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Rebecca was a core member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra from 2010-2015. She was a member of the Piatti Quartet, prizewinners at the Wigmore International String Quartet Competition, from 2020-2023

Sascha Bota - viola 

Sascha has quickly established himself as one of the most sought-after viola players in London. Since relocating to the UK in 2017 he has been in high demand as soloist, chamber musician and guest principal with symphony and chamber orchestras alike. He joined the Navarra String Quartet in 2018 and Britten Sinfonia in 2021 as associate leader of the viola section. Last season featured Sascha as soloist in the Musikverein Vienna, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Printzregententheater in Munich and Konzerthaus Berlin along with partner Antoine Tamestit and the AKAMUS Berlin. He is a member of the Oculi Sextet and Sakuntala String Trio, both based in London. Sascha appears frequently as guest principal player of Aurora Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Academy of Ancient Music, English Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Romanian Chamber Orchestra, a newly founded project very close to his heart in Romania. He enjoys both gut stringing his viola at different pitches as well as playing jazz in various ensembles. Newly Sascha has joined the professorial staff at Trinity University in London.

Brian O’Kane, Cello

Irish Cellist Brian O'Kane enjoys a busy career as both soloist and chamber musician. Since winning first prize at the Windsor International String Competition in 2008, he has made his debuts with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra under Ashkenazy and in recital at the Wigmore Hall. Brian is a former 'Rising Star' of Ireland's National Concert Hall and has performed at Seoul's Performing Arts Centre and with a cello ensemble at the BBC Proms.

Brian enjoys playing chamber music as a member of the Cappa Ensemble and the Navarra Quartet. He has collaborated with a wide variety of artists such as Michael Collins, Aleksandar Madzar, Anthony Marwood, Pekka Kuusisto, Lawrence Power, Antoine Tamest and Sir James Galway. Bria has also performed at concert halls and festivals throughout the world such as Sydney Opera House, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, West Cork, Radio France-Montpellier, Lockenhaus and the Weesp Chamber Music Festival, Holland.

A graduate of both the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, Brian's biggest influences have come from Louise Hopis and at Prussia Cove, Aldeburgh and Chamber Studio from studies with Ralph Kirshbaum, Steven Isserlis, Ferenc Rados and Eberhart Feltz. Brian plays a Rugieri cello made in Cremona c. 1690.