A former Harrogate school pupil is among the talented young stars of the future performing at the HACS Harrogate Music Festival this summer.
Alannah Saphir, who went to St Aidan’s School, is among a quartet of acclaimed artists performing in the hugely influential Young Musicians Series.
A key part of the Festivals’ heritage as well as its future, the Young Musicians Series has long provided a springboard for rising stars in classical music, including the likes of Julian Lloyd Webber, Emma Johnson and Lesley Garrett.
Alannah, winner of the Ripon Young Musician of the Year in 2023 and the Young Musician of the Festival at the Harrogate Competitive Festival for Music, Speech and Drama in 2024, makes her Harrogate Music Festival debut when she performs works by Debussy, Chaminade, Doppler and Hüe at the Wesley Centre (July 11).
Speaking ahead of her concert, which closes this year’s Young Musicians series, Alannah said:
“The best thing about performing live is feeling the audience’s response to your interpretation of a piece of music.
"I hope the audience will enjoy hearing the full diversity and range of the flute as a solo instrument.”
The Young Musicians Series gets underway at the Wesley Centre (June 27) with the acclaimed Trio Concept, performing works by Bloch, Ravel and Mendelssohn.
This award-winning Italian group, featuring Lorenzo Nguyen (Piano), Edoardo Grieco (Violin) and Francesco Massimino (Cello), have established themselves as one of the leading ensembles in the classical music world.
The trio, who have been performing together since they were teenagers, won both first prize at the Schoenfeld International String Competition in Harbin, China, and were winners at the YCAT international auditions at at Wigmore Hall in 2023.
Joining them in this summer’s Young Musicians Series is the hugely gifted Dutch violinist Charlotte Spruit who is performing at the Wesley Centre (July 4).
Charlotte has gained an impressive reputation for her captivating performances as both a soloist and chamber musician, having appeared at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall in London, and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.
Her programme opens with Beethoven’s Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 96, the composer’s final violin sonata, and is followed by Schumann’s intense and emotional Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121, which was first performed by Schumann’s wife Clara and the famous violinist Joseph Joachim.
Moving away from the classical music theme, kora player Jali Bakary Konteh makes up the quartet of Young Musicians.
Performing under Luke Jerram’s dazzling Gaia installation inside St Wilfrid’s Church (July 5), Jali will bring the sound of the kora, a traditional West African stringed instrument, to life.
In this solo concert, he will be performing a variety of traditional kora pieces, showcasing the instrument’s distinctive rhythmic patterns and melodic beauty.
Harrogate International Festivals’ Chief Executive, Sharon Canavar, said:
“The HACS Harrogate Music Festival has a long and proud tradition of supporting future stars as they set out on their music careers and this year is no exception.
“We are delighted to provide a stage for these hugely gifted young performers. Once again, audiences are in for a real treat!”
Tickets are available from the Harrogate International Festivals website harrogateinternationalfestivals.com or by calling the Box Office on 01423 562 303.
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